AN120684 – Plumbers and Gasfitters (State) Consolidated Award

17. DISTANT WORK - APPRENTICES

(i) For the purpose of this clause, distant work is that in respect of which the distance or the travelling facilities to and from such place of work make it reasonably necessary that the apprentice should live and sleep at some place other than his/her usual place of residence at the time of commencing such work: Provided that if the apprentice whilst employed on distant work changes his usual place of residence such new place of resident or any further change thereof (if made whilst employed on distant work) shall be the usual place of residence for determining whether the work is distant work within the meaning of this clause.

(ii) An apprentice engaged on distant work shall be conveyed, with tools, to and fro at his/her employer's expense. Such conveyance shall be made once only unless the apprentice is recalled and sent again to the place of work when it shall be made each time that this happens: Provided that return fares and travelling time need not be paid to an apprentice who:

(a) leaves his employment of his/her own free will; or
(b) is discharged for misconduct;

before the completion of the job or before being three months in such employment, whichever first happens, or is discharged for incompetence within one week of engagement.

(iii) Time occupied in travelling to and from distant work shall be paid for at ordinary rates, provided that no apprentice shall be paid more than an ordinary day's wages for any day spent in travelling unless he/she is on the same day occupied in working for his/her employer. He/she shall also be paid an amount as set out in Item 65 of Table 2 - Other Rates and Allowances, of Part B, Monetary Rates, to cover expenses, if any, of reaching his/her home and of transporting his/her tools.

(iv) On distant work the employer shall provide reasonable board and lodging or pay an allowance per week of seven days as set out in Item 66 of Table 2, but such allowance shall not be wages. In the case of broken parts of a week occurring at the beginning or end of a period of distant work the allowance shall be all living expenses actually and reasonably incurred but not exceeding the amount as set out in the said Item 66.

(v) The provisions of this clause shall apply wherever the apprentice is engaged.

(vi) On all jobs carried out as distant jobs, where lost time has occurred, overtime at ordinary rates may, by agreement, be worked so as to make up the time to equal 38 hours per week and by agreement apprentices may work at ordinary rates on holidays other than Christmas Day, Good Friday and Sunday.

(vii) Where an apprentice is engaged upon distant jobs and is required to reside elsewhere than on the site of the job he shall be paid the fares allowance prescribed by clause 15, Compensation for Travel Patterns and Mobility Requirements of Apprentices.

(viii) An apprentice on distant work may, after three months' continuous service and thereafter at three-monthly intervals, return to his/her home at a weekend and shall be paid the fares reasonably incurred in so travelling to his home and to the place of work: Provided however, that if the work upon which the apprentice is engaged will be completed within 28 days after the expiration of any such period of three months as hereinbefore mentioned then the provisions of this subclause shall not be applicable.

(ix) The employer shall obtain and the apprentice shall provide the employer with a statement in writing of his/her usual place of residence.

The apprentice shall inform his/her employer, in writing, of any subsequent change in his place of residence.