How to get 55 days off work with only 20 days of annual leave

Aussies can more than double their time off work next year, without exceeding their annual leave limit. Seems impossible? Here’s how to do it.

Why take your allocated 20 days of annual leave next year, when you could be strategic and turn it into a much longer stretch of time off work?

By booking your leave days wisely, Australians can take advantage of existing public holidays and weekends and stretch those days off into really substantial holiday time.

For people in some states, that means taking those 20 leave days and turning them into 55 whole days off. As a minimum, all Australians can take at least 49 days off from just 20 days of annual leave.

finder.com.au has taken a close look at the 2020 calendar to figure out how to do it.

Find out how to book strategic days off in 2020.

It varies from state to state, based on local public holidays. West Australians, Victorians and people in the Australian Capital Territory will fare better in 2020, as their public holidays land in a way that offers maximum potential. Those in NSW and Queensland will get the least amount of time off next year.

But 2020 will give all states enough time to go away at least six times, according to finder.com.au.

Here are a couple of example of how everyone can make the most out of their leave next year.

The trick can lead to some substantial chunks of time off work.

FIVE DAYS IN JANUARY

All Australians can turn two days off into five days off at the start of the year.

Wednesday, January 1 is a public holiday, so by taking off just Thursday, January 2 and Friday, January 3, and linking them with the weekend, you’ve got five days off in a row.

EASTER LONG WEEKEND

In April, take off four days from Monday, April 6 to Thursday, April 9. Combined with Good Friday, Easter Monday, and weekends on either end, those four days equate to 10 whole days off from April 4 to 13 inclusive.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY BREAK

This one is for everyone except Queensland and Western Australia. Taking off the days after the Queen’s Birthday — Tuesday, June 9 to Thursday, June 11 — turns into six days off.

Check out Finder’s website to find out exactly what your state offers.

And get that leave booked in early.