What ordinary-hour limit applies to poultry farm workers?
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Quick explanation
Previously reviewed explanation — check official wording before use
Ordinary hours must not exceed 152 in any consecutive 4 weeks.
Check the conditions
- Part-time agreed hours may trigger overtime earlier under clause 10.4; check clause 49 for overtime rates and holidays.
Read the official wording and citations
Pastoral Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman
FWC · MA000035 · Clause 48
48. Ordinary hours of work and rostering
The ordinary hours of work of poultry farm workers must not exceed 152 hours in any consecutive period of 4 weeks.
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.
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.
Pastoral Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman
FWC · MA000035 · Clause 49
49. Overtime and public holidays
[Varied by PR723940, PR763232]
49.1 Overtime
(a) All time worked by a poultry worker in excess of the ordinary hours in clause 48—Ordinary hours of work and rostering will be regarded as overtime.
[49.1(b) varied by PR723940 ppc 20Nov20]
(b) The rate of pay for overtime for a poultry farm worker will be:
For overtime worked | Overtime rateFull-time and part-time employees % ordinary hourly rate | Overtime rateCasual employees % ordinary hourly rate
Monday to Saturday | 150 | 175
Sunday—feeding and watering stock | 150 | 175
Sunday—other than feeding and watering stock | 200 | 225
[Note inserted by PR723940 ppc 20Nov20]
NOTE: The overtime rates for casual employees have been calculated by adding the casual loading prescribed by clause 11.3(a)(ii) to the overtime rates for full-time and part-time employees prescribed by clause 49.1(b).
49.2 Time off instead of payment for overtime
(a) An employee and employer may agree in writing to the employee taking time off instead of being paid for all overtime that is worked by the employee under this agreement.
(b) An agreement made under clause 49.2 will remain in place unless the agreement is terminated. The agreement can be terminated by the employer or employee at any time by notice in writing.
(c) An agreement made under clause 49.2 must be in writing and must state each of the following:
(i) that the employer and employee agree that the employee may take time off instead of being paid for the overtime;
(ii) that the agreement can be terminated at any time by notice in writing;
(iii) that overtime worked after the agreement is terminated will be paid at the overtime rate applicable to the overtime when worked;
(iv) that time off instead of overtime must be taken within 6 months of it being worked, at a time or times agreed by the employee and employer;
(v) that, if time off is not taken as mentioned in clause 49.2(c)(iv), the employer must pay the employee for the overtime, in the next pay period following those 6 months, at the overtime rate applicable to the overtime when worked.
NOTE: An example of the type of agreement required by clause 49.2 is set out at Schedule E—Agreement for time off instead of payment for overtime. There is no requirement to use the form of agreement set out at Schedule E—Agreement for time off instead of payment for overtime. An agreement under clause 49.2 can also be made by an exchange of emails between the employee and employer, or by other electronic means.
(d) The period of time off that an employee is entitled to take is the same as the number of overtime hours worked.
EXAMPLE: By making an agreement under clause 49.2 an employee who worked 2 overtime hours is entitled to 2 hours’ time off.
(e) Time off must be taken:
(i) within the period of 6 months after the overtime is worked; and
(ii) at a time or times within that period of 6 months agreed by the employee and employer.
(f) If time off for overtime that has been worked is not taken within the period of 6 months mentioned in 49.2(e), the employer must pay the employee for the overtime, in the next pay period following those 6 months, at the overtime rate applicable to the overtime when worked unless the employer agrees to pay out the accrued overtime earlier.
(g) The employer must keep a copy of any agreement under clause 49.2 as an employee record.
(h) The employer must keep a record of the number of overtime hours worked by the employee, when those hours were worked and an updated record of the employee’s time off instead of payment for overtime balance.
(i) An employer must not exert undue influence or undue pressure on an employee in relation to a decision by the employee to make, or not make, an agreement to take time off instead of payment for overtime.
(j) An employee may, under section 65 of the Act, request to take time off, at a time or times specified in the request or to be subsequently agreed by the employer and the employee, instead of being paid for overtime worked by the employee. If the employer agrees to the request, then clause 49.2 will apply, including the requirement for a written agreement under clause 49.2(c) for overtime that has been worked.
[Note varied by PR763232 ppc 01Aug23]
NOTE: If an employee makes a request under section 65 of the Act for a change in working arrangements, the employer may only refuse that request on reasonable business grounds (see section 65A(3) of the Act).
(k) If, on the termination of the employee’s employment, time off for overtime worked by the employee to which clause 49.2 applies has not been taken, the employer must pay the employee for the overtime at the overtime rate applicable to the overtime when worked.
NOTE: Under section 345(1) of the Act, a person must not knowingly or recklessly make a false or misleading representation about the workplace rights of another person under clause 49.2.
49.3 Public holidays
A poultry worker required to work on a public holiday will be paid 200% of the ordinary hourly rate.
Part 9—Shearing Operations
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.