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ASU members win! Fair Work Commission Decides Disability and Community Sector Workers Deserve Better Conditions

28 October 2021 By ASU

The Fair Work Commission has agreed with ASU members that working practices in our sector are unfair and need changing.

This is what we’ve won:

  • A 2-hour minimum payment for part-time disability workers and a 3-hour minimum payment for part-time community sector workers.
  • The right to refuse additional hours.
  • The right to request a review of your guaranteed part-time hours if you’ve been regularly working more hours over the past 12 months.
  • For disability workers who work broken shifts: only 1 unpaid break (other than a meal break) per shift, but you can agree to 2 unpaid breaks.
  • An allowance of $17.53 for a 1-break shift or $23.20 for a 2-break shift.
  • A new ‘remote response’ clause providing new minimum payments for on-call and out-of-hours work depending on the time of day, if you’re required to attend your workplace and if you’re rostered to be on call.
  • An allowance for personal clothing soiled or damaged at work.
  • The right to clean linen and access to food preparation facilities when you work a sleepover.
  • The right to swap shifts between employees (subject to employer approval).

These changes will take effect from 1 July 2022.

Over the next 12 months we expect to see big changes in the disability and community sector. Employers will need to change how they do business to make sure they are compliant with the new minimum standards.

The ASU will be working to keep members informed about the new minimum conditions and make sure employers implement them as quickly and as fairly as possible.

Join the ASU today to find out more about your new rights at work. You can join us at www.asu.asn.au/ASUJOIN

If you have any questions, contact your local ASU Branch:

Branch Contact Contact Number
NSW/ACT Services Angus McFarland (02) 9310 4000
VIC/TAS A&S Leon Wiegard (03) 9342 3400
VIC PS Matt Norrey (03) 9342 3300
QLD SNA Justine Moran (07) 3844 5300
SA/NT Daniel Spencer (08) 8363 1322
WA Jill Hugo (08) 9427 7777