Part Time additional hours entitlement

Part-time officers working – pay entitlement for additional hours.

Are you a part-time officer?  Do you supervise part-time officers?  Do you know the regulations around their pay entitlement? 

The part-time officer works 27 hours per week. As a part time officer, the days within a 7-day period (Sunday to Saturday) are divided into 3 different categories (1) working days, (2) rest days and (3) free days.

The pay entitlement for working additional hours over the normal 27 hours will depend upon whether the additional hours are worked on a working day, rest day or free day.

Working additional hours on a working day

If the officer works any additional hours on one of their rostered working days, they are paid at plain time for those additional hours until they reach 40 hours in a 7 day period (Sunday to Saturday) at which time they may claim the normal overtime rate for any hours worked over the 40 hours at time and a third.

Working additional hours on a rest day

If the officer works additional hours (i.e. either volunteers or is directed to work overtime on a rest day) with less than 15 days’ notice, then they are paid at the rate of time and a half.

Working additional hours on a free day

If the officer is required to perform duty on a free day then their entitlement depends upon whether it is work only they can do (such as attendance at court) or whether it is work any police officer could do (such as guarding a scene).

If the duty is one only they can do, and they receive less than 15 days’ notice then the additional hours are paid at plain time or alternatively the officer can elect to take time off equal to the duty time.

If the duty can be performed by any officer and they receive less than 15 days’ notice, then they are entitled to be paid at the same rate as rest day working which is time and a half.