Workplace agreement checklist
What you need to check before you agree to a Workplace Agreement
CHOOSING WHETHER to enter into a Workplace Agreement is an important decision that will have significant effects on your pay, working conditions and legal protections.
Under Work choices proposals you are responsible for checking your own Workplace Agreement. There will no longer be a formal approval process, and Agreements will be effective immediately upon lodgement to the
Australian Government Office of the Employment Advocate.
Some award entitlements, like meal breaks, rostered days off and flexible work arrangements, can't be measured in dollars and cents. Consider the value of these benefits carefully when assessing the terms offered in your Agreement.
Remember, for a small increase in your pay you may be asked to give up important rights and conditions.
Before you agree:
- Check your employer has provided you with a copy of the proposed Agreement and an information statement from the Office of Employment Advocate that explains the terms and conditions.
- Check your current entitlements under an award or agreement against the proposed Agreement.
- Check the Agreement provides for meal breaks.
- Check the Agreement provides for overtime rates.
- Check the Agreement provides for weekend, late night and public holiday penalty rates.
- Check the Agreement includes shift, uniform, vehicle and travel allowances.
- Check the Agreement includes annual leave loading.
- Check the Agreement contains a notice of termination clause and redundancy pay.
- Check the Agreement clearly shows whether you have access to these conditions or not: public holidays, rest breaks, bonuses, annual leave loading, allowances, penalty rates and shift/overtime loadings.
(Think about whether you have gained adequate compensation if they are removed.)
- Check the Agreement contains a provision for pay increases. (Agreements may operate for a period of up to five years without the inclusion of a pay increase.)
- Check you have been given the right to seek support from a friend, family member, union representative or any other person to conduct Agreement negotiations on your behalf, as a bargaining agent.
- Check the Agreement contains a clause which clearly states the options available to you when it expires. (If it isn't replaced by another Agreement your entitlements will be
significantly reduced.)
- Check you have been given seven days to consider the Agreement which is the time currently required by the
Australian Government.
- If you are under 18, parental or guardian consent is required for the Agreement to be legally binding. For an agreement to be valid there must be genuine consent.
Do not allow yourself to be pressured into signing an Agreement that doesn't suit your individual needs.
An Agreement is a voluntary agreement; don't sign it if you don't want to!
Read the information on this website if you need help making an informed decision about trading your pay and conditions.
*The Northern Territory Workplace Advocate gratefully acknowledges the New South Wales Government's
development of this Checklist.