OVERTIME MEAL ALLOWANCES DISPUTE – PERMANENT AWARD
With the 2024 Awards now complete, on Wednesday 18 March, we formally wrote to the Department seeking payment of all outstanding claims under both the 2023 and 2024 Awards (along with claims going forward) for meal allowances while on overtime in accordance with clause 17 of the Permanent Award (clause 18 under the 2023 Award).
This letter made clear our position that if the Department did not agree to make these payments, we will be formally filing in the Industrial Court to seek payment on behalf of all members, plus interest and the imposition of penalties.
On Wednesday 25 March, they responded seeking up to an additional 4 weeks to consider the matters raised in our correspondence. We have today replied advising that we are not prepared to wait a further 4 weeks, however we have agreed that they can have a further 7 days to consider their response.
The FBEU will consider any response from the Department, however if they do not agree to make these payments and the matter remains unresolved following the Easter break, the FBEU intends to file formally with the Industrial Court.
We will keep members updated as the matter progresses.
In the meantime, in line with SitRep 30/2025 and SitRep 34/2025, members should be claiming this allowance as expressed in the Award, and managers should be approving the claims as they are an Award entitlement.
CONS LEAVE FOR EASTER SUNDAY
With the Easter Sunday public holiday falling on the same day as daylight savings ending this year, on Sunday 5 April 2026, we wrote to the Department in January (see the letter here) seeking confirmation that they would be paying an additional hour of Cons Leave for members working on Easter Sunday.
The Award requires Cons Leave to be paid for “actual hours worked” on Easter Sunday, and members who work on this day work an additional actual hour as the clock winds back. This will not occur every year, and it is relatively rare for Easter Sunday to land on the same day that Daylight Savings finishes.
The Department wrote back today (see the letter here) confirming that they agree with the FBEU’s interpretation, and will be allocating an additional hour of Cons Leave to those working on Easter Sunday this year. This is next expected to occur in 2029 followed by 2037, and payment will continue in this manner going forward.
They have also agreed that they would be adjusting Cons Leave balances for members who worked on Easter Sunday in 2021 (the last time these dates coincided), to award an additional hour.
