Awards/Poultry processing

← Consultation and disputes

What consultation is needed before changing regular rosters or ordinary hours?

MA000074All business streamsAll employment types

Live source verification unavailable until status loads

Quick explanation

Previously reviewed explanation — check official wording before use

Consult affected employees and representatives about proposed regular-roster or ordinary-hours changes, give information, invite views and consider them.

Check the conditions

  • Invite views about impacts including family or caring responsibilities.
  • Read this together with other scheduling and notice rules.

Exceptions

  • Clause 28 excludes employees whose working hours are irregular, sporadic or unpredictable.
Read the official wording and citations

Poultry Processing Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman

FWC · MA000074 · Clause 28

28. Consultation about changes to rosters or hours of work

28.1 Clause 28 applies if an employer proposes to change the regular roster or ordinary hours of work of an employee, other than an employee whose working hours are irregular, sporadic or unpredictable.

28.2 The employer must consult with any employees affected by the proposed change and their representatives (if any).

28.3 For the purpose of the consultation, the employer must:

(a) provide to the employees and representatives mentioned in clause 28.2 information about the proposed change (for example, information about the nature of the change and when it is to begin); and

(b) invite the employees to give their views about the impact of the proposed change on them (including any impact on their family or caring responsibilities) and also invite their representative (if any) to give their views about that impact.

28.4 The employer must consider any views given under clause 28.3(b).

28.5 Clause 28 is to be read in conjunction with any other provisions of this award concerning the scheduling of work or the giving of notice.

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
Poultry Processing 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, PR799354 and PR799510). ↗
Citation verified
Operative note
Explains the current consolidated Award text incorporating amendments up to and including 1 July 2026, checked on 25 October 2026. The consolidation date is not a commencement date for these rules; historical work requires the text and variations applicable at that time.

Poultry Processing Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman

FWC · MA000074 · Clause 10

10. Part-time employees

10.1 A part-time employee:

(a) is engaged to work an average of less than 38 ordinary hours per week; and

(b) 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 For each ordinary hour worked, a part-time employee must be paid no less than 1/38th of the minimum weekly rate for the relevant classification in this award.

10.3 The employer must inform the part-time employee of the employee’s ordinary hours of work and starting and finishing times.

10.4 A part-time employee must be engaged for a minimum of 3 consecutive hours on any day or shift.

10.5 A part-time employee’s rostered hours of work can be altered by a minimum of 48 hours’ notice. See clause 28—Consultation about changes to rosters or hours of work.

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
Poultry Processing 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, PR799354 and PR799510). ↗
Citation verified
Operative note
Explains the current consolidated Award text incorporating amendments up to and including 1 July 2026, checked on 25 October 2026. The consolidation date is not a commencement date for these rules; historical work requires the text and variations applicable at that time.

Poultry Processing Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman

FWC · MA000074 · Clause 13

13. Ordinary hours of work

13.1 Ordinary hours

(a) Maximum weekly hours and requests for flexible working arrangements are provided for in the NES.

(b) Except as provided elsewhere in this award:

(i) the ordinary hours of work for a full-time employee are an average of 38 per week; and

(ii) an employee will not work more than 10 ordinary hours per day or 152 over 28 days.

13.2 Ordinary hours—day workers

(a) Ordinary hours for a day worker may be worked on any or all days, Monday to Friday. Ordinary hours may also be worked on Saturday and Sunday, subject to agreement between the employer and a majority of affected employees, or the employer and an individual employee. If agreement is reached in accordance with clause 13.2(a), the additional rates in clause 20.2 apply.

(b) Ordinary hours of work are to be worked continuously, except for meal and rest breaks, at the discretion of the employer, between the hours of 5.00 am and 5.00 pm. The spread of hours (5.00 am to 5.00 pm) may be altered by up to one hour at either or both ends of the spread, by agreement between an employer and the majority of affected employees, or in appropriate circumstances, between the employer and an individual employee. Any change to regular rosters or ordinary hours of work is subject to the consultative provisions in clause28––Consultation about changes to rosters or hours of work.

(c) The employer and a majority of affected employees may agree that the ordinary hours for a day worker be up to 12 hours per day.

13.3 Ordinary hours—shiftworkers

(a) Ordinary hours for a shiftworker may be worked on any or all days, Monday to Sunday. The ordinary hours are up to 10 hours per day, inclusive of meal breaks.

(b) The employer and a majority of affected employees may agree that the ordinary hours for a shiftworker be up to 12 hours per day, inclusive of meal breaks, worked Monday to Sunday.

(c) Shift notice

(i) An employee must be given at least 48 hours’ notice of a requirement to work shiftwork and any alteration to their hours of work. By agreement between an employer and an employee, the notice requirement may be waived.

(ii) The hours for a shiftworker when fixed may be varied for breakdowns or other causes beyond the control of the employer.

(iii) See clause 28—Consultation about changes to rosters or hours of work.

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
Poultry Processing 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, PR799354 and PR799510). ↗
Citation verified
Operative note
Explains the current consolidated Award text incorporating amendments up to and including 1 July 2026, checked on 25 October 2026. The consolidation date is not a commencement date for these rules; historical work requires the text and variations applicable at that time.
More actions

Current reference is available only while live source checks permit it. Complete references retain all qualifications and source wording.