Australian Museum member bulletin – September 2018 (PDF version)

Flexible working rights and entitlements for Australian Museum Staff

The PSA has been made aware that a number of members across the Museum have been informed that there is an expectation that that there is no flex time accumulated without prior approval from line managers.

It has been stated that the expectation is that people manage their workload within 35 hours per week and that if minor additional time is required it is discussed with and approved prior to additional hours being worked.

This is NOT the case at all and is a breach of the Flexible Working Hours Agreement for staff employed at the Australian Museum.

Except under certain circumstances, as contained in your flexible working hours agreement, you cannot be directed to work only between 9am to 5pm. As well, there is nothing in your flexible working hours agreement that states you have to get prior approval to work outside the hours of 9am to 5pm.

“For the purpose of this Agreement flexible working hours, hereinafter referred to as flexitime, is a system of attendance operating within the Department whereby an individual staff member may select their starting and finishing times on each normal working day, subject to the approval of the Department, and in accordance with conditions set out in this agreement”.  Copy of the Trade & Investment Flexible Working Hours Agreement can be viewed HERE.

The Trade and Investment Flexible Working Hours Agreement provides the following:

Bandwidth

The bandwidth operating during the term of this Agreement shall be between the hours of 6am and 10pm on each normal working day. Any time worked outside the bandwidth during a settlement period shall not be credited to a staff member in any calculation of accumulated credit hours, or payment of additional hours unless otherwise agreed between the staff member and the Department Head.

Further clause 21 Crown Employees (Conditions of Employnment) Award 2009 clearly outlines your right to flexible working hours.

21.1 The parties to this award are committed to fostering flexible work practices with the intention of providing greater flexibility in dealing with workloads, work deadlines and the balance between work and family life. All parties are committed to managing time worked to prevent any forfeiture of credit hours accumulated under a Flexible Working Hours arrangement.

Members you are entitled to work under the conditions set out in the Trade & Investment Flexible Working Hours Agreement, if members receive further directions that are a breach to this agreement the PSA wants to know.

This issue was raised at the Joint Consultative Committee meeting held on 14 June. The PSA made it quite clear what members entitlements were and that the expectation was that the conditions contained in agreement were to be adhered to.

Please contact Kerrie Butson Senior Industrial Officer at if you have any concerns with regard to this matter.