How are part-time hours agreed and changed?
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Quick explanation
Previously reviewed explanation — check official wording before use
Part-time employees work less than an average of 38 hours per week over 4 weeks with reasonably predictable hours and equivalent pay and conditions pro rata. Agree daily hours, working days and actual start and finish times in writing at engagement.
Check the conditions
- Changes require written agreement and recording; all work beyond the mutually arranged hours is overtime.
- Ordinary hours are paid at the ordinary hourly rate for the class of work.
Read the official wording and citations
Pastoral Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman
FWC · MA000035 · Clause 10
10. Part-time employees
10.1 A part-time employee is an employee who:
(a) is engaged to work less than an average of 38 hours per week over a 4 week period;
(b) has reasonably predictable hours of work; and
(c) receives on a pro rata basis, equivalent pay and conditions to those of full-time employees who do the same kind of work.
10.2 At the time of engagement the employer and the part-time employee will agree in writing on a regular pattern of work, specifying at least:
(a) the hours worked each day;
(b) which days of the week the employee will work; and
(c) the actual starting and finishing times each day.
10.3 Changes in hours may only be made by agreement in writing between the employer and employee. Any agreed variation to the regular pattern of work will be recorded in writing.
10.4 All time worked in excess of the hours mutually arranged will be overtime and paid for at the appropriate overtime rate.
10.5 A part-time employee employed under the provisions of clause 10 must be paid for ordinary hours worked at the ordinary hourly rate prescribed for the class of work performed.
10.6 Minimum engagement
Subject to clause 10.7, an employer is required to roster a part-time employee for a minimum of 3 consecutive hours on any shift.
10.7 An employer is only required to roster a part-time employee for a minimum of 2 consecutive hours on any shift if all of the following apply:
(a) the employee is engaged to perform the work of a dairy operator; and
(b) the employee is 18 years of age or younger; and
(c) the employee is a full-time secondary school student.
Complete top-level clause extracted from the checked official consolidated text, including the available subordinate paragraphs and tables. Source wording and official numbering retained; whitespace/table layout normalised. AI source-checked for this user-authorised local release; no human professional review.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2026. Fair Work Commission. Consolidated Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Quotations retain source wording; whitespace/table formatting is normalised for display. Personal/non-commercial or internal use only under the FWC copyright notice. Quick Award explanations are separate AI source-checked text; no government endorsement.
- Official document
- Pastoral Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman ↗
- Version
- This Fair Work Commission consolidated modern award incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 July 2026 (PR799280, PR799316 and PR799473). ↗
- Citation verified
- Operative note
- Based on the current consolidated Award text incorporating amendments up to and including 1 July 2026. That consolidation date is not the commencement date of every provision; check the relevant variation and operative conditions when assessing an earlier period.