Procedure: Hours of work and related provisions
Purpose
To provide information to staff on a range of employment conditions, including: hours of work; flexible work arrangements; span of hours; and entitlement to breaks.
Procedure
- All staff are required to attend work during the hours prescribed by their supervisor and will be present at the prescribed work location on campus unless otherwise agreed in writing by their supervisor or when an application under the Home Based Work procedure has been agreed. Any such arrangements may be varied by the University to meet operational needs.
Hours of work
- The ordinary number of hours of work (exclusive of meal breaks) required for a full-time, professional staff member will be 35 hours per week except for the following:
Hospitality stream at University House and Halls of Residence | 38 hours per week - may take rostered days off (RDO) by agreement with the University, in accordance with their hours worked and University policy and procedure. |
Night assistants at Mt Stromlo or Siding Spring Observatories | 70 hours per fortnight from commencement of night work in accordance with clause 4 below. |
12 hour security staff | 76 hours per fortnight averaged over the roster period, plus reasonable additional hours for which they will be compensated at overtime rates or through the payment of an annualised loading. |
Span of hours
- The following spans of hours provides the University's work areas with flexibility to meet varying workplace requirements:
Classification stream | Span of hours |
Grounds | 6.00am to 5.00pm |
Attendant, Printing, Security, Cleaning | 7.00am to 5.00pm |
Maintenance | 7.30am to 4.00pm |
Administration, Engineering, Information Technology, Library, Professional, Research, Stores, Technical/Draughting/Illustrating | 8.00am to 6.00pm |
Hospitality | 6.30am to 7.30pm |
The spans of hours reflect the times that work is paid at ordinary time rates.
- The ordinary hours of work for a night assistant who is rostered on night work at the Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories may exceed 35 in a week provided that: they do not exceed 70 hours in a fortnight commencing on the day on which the night work begins; and such night work begins not earlier than 30 minutes before evening astronomical twilight and ends not later than 30 minutes after morning astronomical twilight on any day. Where night work is impracticable, a rostered night assistant may be employed on daytime duties. Overtime will be in accordance with the overtime provisions of the Enterprise Agreement.
Flexible working arrangements for professional staff
- Flexible working arrangements allow staff members and the University to vary hours, and patterns of work, to meet the teaching, research and administrative priorities of the University and the staff members' personal commitments, taking into account the operational requirements of the work area. Where a staff member request’s a flexible work arrangement, the University may require the request to be submitted in writing, detailing the changes sought and the reasons for the change. The University will commit to providing the staff member a written response to the request within 21 days, stating whether the request has been granted or refused. If the request has been refused, the University will provide written reasons for the refusal.
- The University has two main types of flexible working arrangements:
- Flextime
- Non-prescribed flexible working arrangements
Flextime
- Flextime is an arrangement whereby a staff member may, with the approval of his or her supervisor, start and/or finish work at flexible times normally within the span of hours and such agreement must be documented with records kept of start and finishing times. A request to work flextime arrangements will not be unreasonably refused.
- Flextime is not designed to increase or reduce the total number of hours that must be worked by staff. A staff member will normally be expected to reconcile their flextime within four weeks and two days, unless otherwise approved in writing by their supervisor. Within this period the staff member will be provided with an opportunity to clear their credits and to make up any debits before any decision is made to alter other entitlements.
- Flextime arrangements are administered in accordance with the University's Enterprise Agreement. The work area is responsible for maintaining records of agreed start and finish times, and that relevant time off has been taken.
Non-prescribed flexible working arrangements
- Non-prescribed flexible working arrangements, which are worked outside the span of hours, may not attract overtime or shift work penalties. These arrangements will be agreed in writing by the University and a staff member or a category of staff members at a work location, or where authorised by the Director - Human Resources. Any such agreement must be documented with records kept of start and finishing times.
Entitlements to breaks
- Staff members are entitled to breaks for meals, morning/afternoon tea, safety and changing time for purpose of washing and changing in accordance with the following table:
Type of break | Qualification | Entitlement | Condition |
Meal | Professional staff | Not less than 30 minutes after 5 consecutive hours of work | Meal break does not count as time worked |
Shift worker | Not less than 20 minutes during the first 5 hours of shift | Meal break is counted as time worked | |
2 hours overtime continuing after completing ordinary hours of work | Additional break not more than 1 hour and meal allowance at rate specified in the University's allowances schedules of the Enterprise Agreement | Meal break does not count as time worked | |
Tea | Professional staff | 10 minutes each morning and afternoon | Tea breaks counted as time worked except where local agreements supersede. |
Safety | When emergency work is undertaken or overtime worked in technical or similar areas | 20 minutes on completion of every four hours of work | Safety breaks counted as time worked |
Changing time for purpose of washing and changing | Where working conditions require | 5 minutes prior to breaks and completion of work | Counts as time worked - local agreements may supersede. |
Information |
Printable version (PDF) |
| Title | Hours of work and related provisions |
| Document Type | Procedure |
| Document Number | ANUP_000609 |
| Version | 10 |
| Purpose | To inform staff of employment conditions relating to hours of work including Hospitality Stream, and flexible working hours. |
| Audience | Staff |
| Category | Administrative |
| Topic/ SubTopic | Staff - Employment of Staff |
| Effective Date | 19 Dec 2008 |
| Review Date | 31 Dec 2017 |
| Responsible Officer | Director, Human Resources |
| Approved By: | Chief Operating Officer |
| Contact Area | Human Resources Division |
| Authority |
ANU Enterprise Agreement 2017 – 2021 |
