Ordinary hours of work are the hours that you and your employees agree to be their normal and regular pattern of work within the limits explained below. They do not include overtime hours.
The ordinary hours of work in the Clerks Award are a maximum of 38 hours per week and can be worked during the following times:
| 7.00am - 7.00pm |
7.00am - 12.30pm |
Under the Clerks Award, you and your employees can agree to extend the spread of hours by up to one hour at either end of the spread (either from 6.00am or until 8.00pm).
Note: If a majority of your employees are covered by a modern award other than the Clerks Award, then the spread of hours from the modern award that applies to a majority of your employees will also apply to your clerical staff. For example, if your business is a car service shop and a majority of your employees are mechanics and covered by the Vehicle Manufacturing, Repair, Services and Retail Award 2010, then your clerical employees’ ordinary hours of work will come from that award rather than the Clerks Award.
All hours worked in excess of 38 hours a week or outside of the spread of hours as set out above are overtime and attract overtime rates. For more information visit the Overtime section.
Best Practice Tip
Rosters provide a schedule of your employees’ working hours – generally for a week, fortnight or month ahead. While the Clerks Award does not require that you prepare a roster for your clerical employees, a roster is a great way to communicate any changes to their ordinary hours of work, or the hours that you would like your casual employees to work.
You can also choose to include your clerical staff on the roster that you have for other employees.
Rosters should show the number of ordinary hours to be worked each day including the days of work, start and finish times and any breaks (template available below). Rosters should be posted somewhere that everyone will easily be able to see them, like a noticeboard.
If your business employs shiftworkers (employees working shifts that finish after 6.00pm and at or before 8.00am), then different ordinary hours of work, overtime, penalty rates and breaks apply. Read clause 28 of the Award, or Contact us.
Averaging the hours of work
The Clerks Award allows you to average the ordinary hours of work for day workers to 38 hours per week but not exceeding 152 hours over a 28 day cycle or an average of 38 over the period of an agreed roster cycle. To average hours over a cycle, your employees can be rostered to work more hours one week and less the next, as long as hours are worked during the spread of hours given above.
Rostered days off
If your clerical employees receive rostered days off, you must provide them with 4 weeks’ notice. However, you can substitute an employee’s rostered day off for another day in the event of business emergency.
Under the Clerks Award, you and your clerical employees can agree to bank rostered days off. Employees can bank up to 5 rostered days off and take them at a later time. You must keep a record of the number of banked rostered days off your employees have accumulated.
For more information about rostered days off, see clauses 25.3 and 25.4 of the Clerks Award.
Top of page