{"id":855,"date":"2016-02-10T17:43:41","date_gmt":"2016-02-10T07:13:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paceadelaidelegal.com.au\/?p=855"},"modified":"2016-12-21T17:43:58","modified_gmt":"2016-12-21T07:13:58","slug":"maximum-weekly-hours-v-employer-expectations-what-does-the-law-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paceadelaidelegal.com.au\/maximum-weekly-hours-v-employer-expectations-what-does-the-law-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Maximum Weekly Hours v Employer Expectations: What Does the Law Say?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” gutter_width=”3″ padding_mobile=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″][et_pb_post_title admin_label=”Post Title” title=”on” meta=”off” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”on” featured_image=”off” featured_placement=”below” parallax_effect=”on” parallax_method=”on” text_orientation=”left” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” title_all_caps=”off” meta_font_size=”14″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” text_font_size=”14″]<\/p>\n

With the increasing trend for home offices, part-time work and our ever-growing access to technology (lap tops, mobile phones, tablets, internet storage and so forth), the demands on employees to be available at all times is increasing exponentially. Employers, and particularly small to medium business owners, often have an expectation that their employees invest their time and energy into a company that may not adequately reward them for their efforts. Indeed such expectations may be unlawful.<\/p>\n

Maximum weekly hours of work are provided for in the NES, pursuant to sections 62\u201364 of the Fair Work Act 2009. Specifically, they provide that an employer must not request or require a full-time employee to work more than 38 hours a week, unless the additional hours are \u2018reasonable\u2019.\u00a0 For an employee other than a full-time employee, this equates to (the\u00a0lesser of) 38 hours, or the employee\u2019s ordinary hours of work in a week. An employee may refuse to work additional hours if they are \u2018unreasonable\u2019.<\/p>\n

In determining whether additional hours are reasonable or unreasonable, the following must be taken into account:<\/p>\n