Roster rights
Updated July 2026
- Your employer must consult you before changing your regular roster or hours of work.
- Standard working hours are capped at 38 hours per week, though employers can request reasonable additional hours.
- Roster rules vary depending on whether you’re full-time, part-time, or casual.
Check your type of employment
The rules around rosters depend on a few different things, including whether you are employed on a full-time, part-time or casual basis.
Working week
The National Employment Standards (NES) state that your ‘ordinary hours’ can’t go past 38 hours.
Your employer can ask you to do more than 38 hours per week, but the request must be reasonable.
Roster changes
Your employer must consult with you before making any changes to your regular roster or your regular hours of work. This is the case for any employees covered by an Award or an Enterprise Agreement. During the consultation process, you can give your view about how the changes might affect you – including things outside of work like family commitments or caring responsibilities.
The only workers employers don’t have to consult are employees with irregular, sporadic or unpredictable working hours. If you’re a casual worker, that does not automatically exclude you. Some (but not all) casual employees work a regular roster. Check with your union if you’re not sure whether your employer should be consulting with you on roster changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice does an employer need to give?
In most cases, your employer needs to consult with you about any roster changes to your regular shifts or days.
Changes can include changing the times or days of shifts, but roster changes can also include cancelling shifts.
What if you can’t work the days or shifts given to you in a roster?
If you’re a casual worker, you have the right to refuse, swap or change shifts, in most cases.
If you’re a part-time or full-time worker, your employer must go through the consultation process outlined above (or the process in your Award or enterprise agreement) before making changes to your regular days and hours.
Can you request changes to the roster when your personal or family commitments have changed?
For casual workers, you are allowed to pull out of a shift if personal or family commitments change. You should give as much notice as possible, but you’re not ‘locked in’ the same way part-time or full-time workers are.
For part-time and full-time employees, it depends on the type of commitment. For example, if you need to care for an unwell family member, then you just have to give notice as soon as possible for personal leave. If it’s for a funeral, it’s the same thing, but for compassionate leave instead of personal leave.
Otherwise, you can request your employer change the roster, but they can reject your request if you’ve already been through the consultation process.
Are you already a union member?
Reach out to your union for more specific information about how you and your workmates can make the most of your rights at work.
Not yet a member?
Joining your union is the most powerful decision you can make to protect your rights at work.