"The welcome decision handed down late yesterday by a Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission varying the Clerks – Private Sector Award 2010 provides employers and employees with more flexibility to agree on working arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new flexibilities were applied for by Ai Group and ACCI and were not opposed by the ACTU and the Australian Services Union," Innes Willox Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.
The new provisions deal with the following matters for employees who are working at home or at another location of their choosing that is not the premises of the employer:
- An extended spread of ordinary hours for day workers;
- An ability for employees to elect not to work ordinary hours continuously;
- Flexible starting and finishing times for part-time employees;
- An ability for part-time employees to work non-consecutive hours; and
- Arrangements for taking meal and rest break while undertaking remote work.
"The Clerks Award applies to hundreds of thousands of employees – a large proportion of whom are working from home at least some of the time.
"The new provisions operate until 30 June 2021 and will assist employers and employees to agree on mutually beneficial working arrangements during the Pandemic," Mr Willox said.
