Christmas Closedown Checklist

Christmas Closedown Checklist

For some businesses, Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year. But for others, it might be time to shutdown shop for a few days or a couple of weeks.

You don’t want to walk away on the last day and have that tingling feeling you’ve forgotten to turn off the stove or lock the front door.

Make sure and double sure you’ve got packed away every last thing and switched off every last light before you roll down the shutter for the end-of-year period.

Print off the checklist below and tick off the tasks as you do them:

Please download the infographic here

Temporary Shut Down Checklist

Facilities

• Turn off all unnecessary lights, and consider putting lights on a timer at night to suggest people are inside
• Clean out the kitchen fridge and request all staff to do a general clean
• Empty all bins
• Water all plants
• Back up all computers and information
• Turn off all unnecessary work equipment
• Secure all valuable business assets (e.g. documents) in a safe
• Shred all sensitive but unneeded business documents
• Test fire alarms and replace batteries (if necessary)
• Check fire doors are not blocked
• Ensure fire equipment is in place and works
• Shut and lock all windows
• Check to see if all security systems are working

Business

• Make sure your clients and suppliers know of the closure
• Send out or pay any outstanding invoices
• Inform your landlord (if applicable) about your planned closure
• Organise for a cleaner or inform your cleaner of your shutdown dates
• Set up an out-of-office email for the business and all staff, and change the voice message of any or all telephones
• Reschedule or cancel any incoming or ongoing deliveries or services (e.g. regular supplier packages)

Employees

• Tell your employees that you plan to close down, and what the dates are (do this well in advance of your shutdown
• Assign an employee (preferably a trusted or senior one) to close down the shop on the final day
• If you require employees to take annual leave during closure, make sure comply with the relevant legislation*

Summer holidays

The following of a list of public holidays that occur in Australia between the Christmas period and Australia Day.  The following is a list of the public holidays*.

Public Holiday	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
Christmas Day	Wednesday, 25 December	Friday, 25 December	Saturday, 25 December
Boxing Day	Thursday, 26 December	Saturday, 26 December	Sunday, 26 December
New Year’s Day	Wednesday, 1 January	Friday, 1 January	Saturday, 1 January

*Make sure to check the state legislation regarding the provision of public holidays in your state or the state in which your employee predominantly works. Make sure you also check the applicable Modern Award, enterprise bargaining agreement or contracts of your employees with regards to regulations around public holiday penalty rates and temporary shutdown provisions. The Modern Award, along with the Fair Work Act will set out circumstances where it would be suitable or reasonable to force an employee to take a period of annual leave during this period.

Day	Notes	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
Christmas Eve	6pm – midnight (Qld) 7pm – midnight (SA)	Tuesday, 24 December	Thursday, 24 December	Friday, 24 December
Christmas Day	All states	Wednesday, 25 December	Friday, 25 December	Saturday, 25 December
Boxing Day	All states	Thursday, 26 December	Saturday, 26 December	Sunday, 26 December
New Year’s Eve	7pm – midnight (SA)	Tuesday, 31 December	Thursday, 31 December	Friday, 1 January
New Year’s Day	All states	Wednesday, 1 January	Friday, 1 January	Saturday, 1 January
Australia Day	All states	Sunday, 26 January	Tuesday, 26 January	Wednesday, 26 January