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ELICOS and Registered Trade Organisation Employment Standards – Breaks

ELICOS and RTO Members

The Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award 2010 provides for the minimum employment conditions for members employed in RTO’s and ELICOS areas

Members have recently contacted the IEU office to clarify their entitlements regarding Breaks. It appears that many staff members are not getting breaks during the day.

The award prescribes for all employees to have paid rest breaks.

22. Breaks
22.3 All employees

  • An employee must be allowed two 10 minute rest breaks on each day as follows:
    • one 10 minute break between the time of commencing work and the usual meal break; and
    • a second 10 minute break between the usual meal break and the time of ceasing work.
  • An employee who works more than four hours overtime on a Saturday morning must be allowed a rest break of 10 minutes between commencing and finishing work.
  • If an employee is required to work through their normal meal break the employee will be paid double time for all time so worked until such time as the meal break is given.
  • An employee working overtime will be allowed a meal break of 20 minutes without deduction of pay after each four hours of overtime worked.

ACTION to take if you are not receiving your breaks:

  1. Contact your IEU organiser
  2. Draft an email to send to management
    • pointing out that you have the right to breaks
    • management are legally obliged to provide breaks
    • you would like to meet and discuss how breaks can be organised for you and your colleagues

  3. Discuss this with your IEU organiser
  1. Progress!

Please visit your school page on the web site to read a copy of your award and Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, if your organisation has an EBA.