A rostered day off (RDO) is a paid day off for working extra hours that add up to a whole working day. Generally, this is something you and your employer arrange between yourselves.
Arrangements for RDOs must comply with your award or agreement.
To apply for flexible working arrangements, write to your employer describing the change you want to make and why.
They have to give you a written reply within 21 days. They can only refuse your request if there are reasonable business grounds why the arrangement wouldn’t work.
If your employer refuses your request without a good reason, contact us.
If you’re a part-time or full-time employee, your employer can’t send you home without pay because it’s quiet. If you’re a casual they can, as long as you’ve worked (or will be paid for) the minimum shift length in your award or agreement.
Your employer can stand you down without pay if there isn’t enough work because of:
- industrial action (not industrial action that is organised by your employer)
- machinery or equipment breaking down
- any reason that they aren’t responsible (like a natural disaster).
Your enterprise agreement, contract or award may allow stand down for other reasons too.
Your employer can ask you to work reasonable overtime. You can refuse to work the extra hours if they are unreasonable.
To decide whether overtime hours are reasonable, you and your employer must consider:
- whether your health and safety are at risk if you work the extra hours
- your personal circumstances, including your family responsibilities
- the needs of your workplace
- whether you’re entitled to overtime payments, penalty rates or other compensation that shows you are expected to work extra hours
- whether your employer has given you enough notice
- whether you have given your employer notice that you intend to refuse to work the extra hours
- the usual patterns of work in your industry
- your job and your level of responsibility
- whether your award or agreement gives an average number of hours you are expected to work over a set period.