Enterprise Agreements and Awards detail how long your minimum engagements (shift length) must be when you’re called in to work.
Full time employees are entitled to work and be paid for a maximum of 38 hours per week or an average of 38 hours rostered over a cycle, eg two weeks or four weeks. Minimum shift lengths are typically four or five hours, and maximum shift lengths are typically between 9 and 10.5 hours.
Part time employees usually have a weekly minimum number of hours that they are engaged for eg 9, 10 or 12 hours. Weekly hours are determined by agreement between a part time employee and their employer, but cannot be less than the minimum specified by their Award or Enterprise Agreement. They must get paid for at least this minimum each week. Additional hours can be worked, but must be paid for at the appropriate rate. Shift minimums are typically three hours.
Casual employees don’t usually have a weekly minimum, but work on an hourly or shift basis. Shift minimums are typically three to two hours.
You must get paid for the shift that you have contracted to work. For example, if a casual employee agrees to work a four hour shift, they are entitled to get paid for the four hour shift.
Rosters and Roster Changes
Full time and part time employees are entitled to a roster. A roster sets out the regular starting and finishing times for the shifts to be worked each week or across a two to four week cycle.
Most Enterprise Agreements and Awards require employers, when establishing or changing a roster, to have regard for the family responsibilities of the employee, and whether the employee can access safe transport home.
Some Enterprise Agreements and Awards also require employers to consider the employee’s study and sporting commitments.
There may be other matters which are important to you and which you want your employer to take into account, when setting rosters. If this is the case, you should make it known to your employer at the time that you are hired.
Most Enterprise Agreements and Awards contain specific provisions relating to changing rosters.
Typically, full time and part time employees must receive seven days notice of a roster change. If they disagree with the change, 14 days notice is given in lieu of seven.
Most Enterprise Agreements and Awards also specify:
- that employees will be given a regular roster which is not subject to frequent variation, and
- that rosters cannot be altered with the intent of avoiding payments or benefits applicable under the Enterprise Agreement or Award.
Other matters relating to rostering which are typically covered by Enterprise Agreements and Awards include:
- the maximum number of consecutive days that can be worked,
- the minimum and maximum number of hours that can be worked on a shift,
- the number of consecutive days off an employee must have per week or fortnight,
- the maximum number of hours that can be worked per week or roster cycle, and
- the minimum break between shifts.
The Enterprise Agreement or Award which applies to your work will contain specific provisions relating to rostering, Your employer is obliged to know what these entitlements are, and apply them correctly.
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