AN160268 – Public Service Award 1992
(1) Prescribed Hours of Duty
Prescribed hours of duty to be observed by officers shall be seven hours thirty minutes per day to be worked between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm Monday to Friday as determined by the employer with a lunch interval of forty-five minutes to be taken between 12.00 noon and 2.00 pm. Subject to the lunch interval prescribed hours are to be worked as one continuous period.
Employers wishing to vary the prescribed hours of duty to be observed shall be required to give one month's notice in writing to the department, branch, section or officers to be affected by the change.
(2) Other Working Arrangements
(a) The employer may vary the prescribed hours of duty observed in the department or any branch or section thereof so as to make provisions for:
(i) the attendance of officers for duty on a Saturday, Sunday, Public Holiday.
(ii) the performance of shift work including work on Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays; and
(iii) the nature of the duties of an officer or class of officers in fulfilling the responsibilities of their office.
provided that where the hours of duty are so varied an officer shall not be required to work more than five hours continuously without a break.
(b) Notwithstanding the above, where it is considered necessary to provide more economic operations, the employer may authorise the operation of alternative working arrangements in the department, or any branch of section thereof.
The continuing operation of any alternative working arrangements, so approved, will depend on the employer being satisfied that the efficient functioning of the department is being enhanced by its operation.
Such alternative working arrangements shall be either:
(i) the operation of flexitime as specified in subclause (3) of this clause, or
(ii) the operation of a nine-day fortnight as specified in subclause (4) of this clause.
(iii) The operation of permanent part-time employment as specified in Clause 9. - Part Time Employment of this Award, or
(iv) such other arrangement as is approved by the employer.
(3) Flexitime Arrangements
(a) Flexitime Roster
(i) The authorisation of a flexitime roster shall be the responsibility of the employer. The roster will indicate the minimum staffing and any other requirements in respect to starting and finishing times, lunch break coverage and flexi leave.
(ii) The roster shall cover a settlement period of four weeks and shall be made available to all affected officers no later than three days prior to the settlement period commencing.
(iii) The roster shall be prepared in consultation with the affected officers, subject to the employer retaining the right to determine arrangements to suit the operational needs of the department.
(b) Hours of Duty
(i) The prescribed hours of duty may be an average of 7 hours 30 minutes per day which may be worked with flexible commencement and finishing times in accordance with the provisions of this subclause, provided that the required hours of duty for each four week settlement period shall be 150 a multiple of 37.5 hours as set out in the flexitime agreement.
(ii) For the purpose of leave, Public Holidays, a day shall be credited as 7 hours 30 minutes.
(c) Flexitime Periods
Within the constraints of the prepared roster and subject to the concurrence of the supervisor, officers may select their own starting and finishing times within the following periods:
(d) Core Periods
Officers must work in the following core periods unless unavoidably absent due to illness or approved leave.
(e) Lunch Break
(i) An officer shall be allowed to extend the meal break between 12 noon and 2.00 pm of not less than 30 minutes but not exceeding 45 minutes except as provided below.
(ii) An officer may be allowed to extend the meal break beyond 45 minutes to a maximum of 90 minutes. Such an extension is subject to prior approval of the officer's supervisor.
(f) Flexi leave
(i) Within the constraints of the prepared roster and subject to the prior approval of the supervisor, an officer may be allowed a maximum of two full days or any combination of half days and full days that does not in total exceed two days in any one settlement period.
(ii) Approval to take flexi leave is subject to the officer having accrued sufficient credit hours to cover the absence prior to taking the leave. In exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the employer, flexi leave may be taken before accrual subject to such conditions as the employer may impose.
(g) Settlement Period
(i) shall consist of four weeks.
(ii) The settlement period shall commence at the beginning of a pay period.
(iii) The required hours of duty for a settlement period shall be 150 hours.
(h) Credit Hours
(i) Credit hours in excess of the required 150 hours to a maximum of 7 hours 30 minutes are permitted at the end of each settlement period. Such credit hours shall be carried forward to the next settlement period.
(ii) Credit hours in excess of 7 hours 30 minutes at the end of a settlement period shall be lost.
(iii) Credit hours at any point within the settlement period shall not exceed 20 hours.
(i) Debit Hours
(i) Debit hours below the required 150 hours to a maximum of 4 hours are permitted at the end of each settlement period.
Such debit hours shall be carried forward to the next settlement period.
(ii) For debit hours in excess of 4 hours, officer shall be required to take leave without pay for the period necessary to reduce debit hours to those specified in subparagraph (i)(i) of this subclause.
(iii) Officers having excessive debit hours may be placed on standard working hours in addition to being required to take leave without pay.
(j) Maximum Daily Working Hours
A maximum of 10 hours may be worked in any one day, assuming a 7.30 am start, 6.00 pm finish and 30 minutes for lunch.
(k) Study Leave
Where the employer pursuant to the provisions of Clause 30. - Study Leave of this Award has approved study leave, credits will be given for education commitments falling within the prescribed hours of duty and for which "time off" is necessary to allow for attendance at formal classes.
(l) Overtime
(i) Officers receiving at least one day's prior notice of overtime shall be required to work the prescribed hours of duty determined by the employer under subclause (1) - Prescribed Hours of Duty of this clause.
(ii) Where an officer is required to work overtime at the conclusion of a day with less than one day's notice, and
(aa) where the officer has at the commencement of that day 2 hours or more flexitime credits, the officer shall be paid overtime after 5 hours work on that day, or for time worked after 3.30 pm, whichever is the later, or
(bb) where that officer has commenced duty prior to 8.30 am and has, at the commencement of that day, less than 2 hours flexitime credits, the officer shall be paid overtime, for time worked after the completion of prescribed hours of duty or after working 7½ hours on that day, whichever is the earlier, or
(cc) where that officer has commenced work after 8.30 am and has, at the commencement of that day, less than 2 hours flexitime credits, the officer shall be paid overtime for time worked after 5.30 pm or after working 7½ hours, on that day whichever is the earlier.
(iii) Where an officer is required to work overtime at the beginning of a day with less than one day's notice, that officer shall be paid overtime for any time worked prior to the commencing time for prescribed hours of duty determined by the employer under subclause (1) - Prescribed Hours of duty of this clause.
(4) Nine Day Fortnight
(a) Hours of Duty
(i) The employer may authorise the operation of a nine day fortnight where the prescribed hours of duty of 75 hours a fortnight are worked over nine days of the fortnight, exclusive of work performed on Saturday, Sunday and the special rostered day off, with each day consisting of 8 hours and 20 minutes.
(ii) The employer shall determine officers' commencing and finishing times between the spread of 7.00 am and 6.00 pm, in order to ensure that departmental requirements are met on each day.
(b) Lunch Break
(i) Officers shall be allowed forty-five minutes for a meal break between 12 noon and 2.00 pm to meet departmental requirements.
(ii) Such meal breaks shall be arranged so that adequate staff are on duty between 12 noon and 2.00 pm to meet departmental requirements.
(c) Special Rostered Day Off
Each officer shall be allowed one special rostered day off each fortnight in accordance with a roster prepared by management showing days and hours of duty and special rostered days off for each officer.
(d) Leave and Public Holidays.
For the purposes of leave and Public Holidays, a day shall be credited as 8 hours 20 minutes notwithstanding the following:
(i) When a Public Holiday falls on an officer's special rostered day off the officer shall be granted a day in lieu of the holiday prior to the conclusion of the current fortnight.
(ii) For a Public Holiday occurring during a period of annual leave, an additional day will be added to the period of leave irrespective of whether it falls on a rostered work day or special rostered day off.
(iii) A four-week annual leave entitlement is equivalent to 150 hours, the equivalent to eighteen rostered working days of 8 hours 20 minutes, and two special rostered days off.
(iv) An officer who is sick on a special rostered day off will not be granted sick leave for that day, and will not be credited with an additional day off in lieu.
(e) Overtime
The provisions of Clause 22. - Overtime Allowance of this Award shall apply for work performed prior to an officer's nominated starting time and after an officer's nominated ceasing time in accordance with subparagraph (a)(ii) and on an officer's special rostered day off.
(f) Study Leave
Credits for study leave will be given for educational commitments falling due between an officer's nominated starting and finishing times.
