All employees are entitled to an unpaid lunch or meal break. The length of time is variable from business to business and can, if appropriate for the business, be up to 60 minutes. Each Award provides for break periods and should be followed.

Although the Award provides details specifically for Award-based employees, best practice is to allow the same across wages and salary employees so as to promote equality and consistency in relation to breaks. If appropriate for your business, all breaks can be scheduled on a roster basis to ensure team, telephone and client coverage during business hours.

Hours of work, including lunch breaks and rest periods, can and should be outlined for employees in their individual Employment Agreement.

Breaks between work periods

All employees should be granted a rest period between the completion of work on one day and the commencement of work on the next day. Work includes any reasonable additional hours or overtime. For Award-wages employees, the relevant Award will indicate the amount of required rest-period hours specific to your industry or the occupation. For example, a 12-hour rest period. There are penalty rates payable if the employee does not get at least the rest-period amount of time off work. Refer to the Award for these details.