Minimum Hours for Part-Time Employees
From the first pay period on or after 1 July 2022, minimum hours for part-time employees in the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS Award) will be introduced.
Currently, the SCHADS Award 2022 does not impose a minimum hours payment for part-time employees.
From 1 July 2022, part-time employees must be paid the following minimum hours payment for each shift or period of work in a broken shift:
- social and community services employees (except when doing disability services work) – 3 hours
- all other employees – 2 hours.
On 1 February 2022, transitional arrangements commenced in the SCHADS Award 2022, which aims to help employers and employees get ready for these changes.
The transitional arrangements encourage employers to start consultation discussions with employees now, prior to the implementation of the minimum hours’ requirement effective 1 July 2022, to try to agree on a variation to the employee’s current hours of work which is consistent with the new minimum hours.
Changes expected in July for SCHADS Award 2022
Other 1 July 2022 changes
There are other changes to the SCHADS Award Changes from 1 July 2022. This includes entitlements for:
- damaged clothing – introduction of laundry allowance and repair/replacement clothing obligations
- remote response – minimum payments for remote work
- broken shifts – broken shift allowances and new definitions.
Key Takeaways
It is recommended that employers start preparing for these Award changes now so they are ready to implement the new requirements from 1 July 2022, particularly the minimum hours’ payment for part-time employees.
If you have any questions or queries about the SCHADS Award 2022, please contact our Employment Lawyers on 1300 068 736.
This publication has been carefully prepared, but it has been written in brief and general terms and should be viewed as broad guidance only. It does not purport to be comprehensive or to render advice. No one should rely on the information contained in this publication without first obtaining professional advice relevant to their own specific situation.
