Broken shifts, minimum engagement and overtime

How the interpreter pays minimum engagement top-ups, broken shift allowances and overtime, how overtime lines are approved, and how to check the figures.

Before you begin

• You need View pay rules to see the rules and Approve timesheets to approve lines.
• Workers need the right employment type in their pay profile: minimum engagement applies to casual and part-time staff.

Minimum engagement

1. Check Time → SCHADS pay rules → Allowances → Minimum engagement for the casual and part-time minimum hours.
2. When a casual or part-time shift is shorter, the line gets a Minimum engagement top-up pay line at the shift’s rate for the missing time.
3. Each portion of a broken shift has its own, shorter portion minimum.
4. Travel time lines between shifts never get a minimum engagement top-up.

Broken shifts

1. A broken shift is two or three shifts the roster links into one broken group; the roster shows them with a Broken shift badge.
2. The interpreter adds Broken shift allowance (one break) or (two breaks) to the last portion of the day.
3. Time worked past the broken shift span (see Broken shift span on the Allowances tab) is paid at the span excess rate.
4. Gaps between portions of the same broken shift don’t trigger the Insufficient break warning.

Overtime

1. Ordinary hours stop at the daily maximum per shift and at the weekly hours for the employment type (part-time uses contracted hours). Weeks run Monday to Sunday.
2. Overtime is paid at the tiers on Penalties and overtime: the first hours at the first tier, then the higher tier, with separate Sunday and public holiday rates. Casual loading isn’t added to overtime.
3. A line with overtime gets an Overtime exception. Resolve it on Time → Exceptions with Accept actual times or Pay rostered times.
4. When you approve, overtime above your sign-off limit goes to Home → Approvals inbox for a manager instead of being locked.

Check the figures before approval

1. On Time → Approve timesheets, filter Pay category to Overtime at 150% or Overtime at 200%.
2. Open a line and read Paid: it shows the overtime hours, and Pay calculation shows each tier with its clause.
3. To check a scenario, use Test a shift on the pay rules screen. It prices one shift, so weekly overtime from other shifts isn’t included.

Tips

• Overtime pay categories show amber in the Pay categories column so they stand out.
• Less than the minimum break between two shifts adds an Insufficient break exception; its pay consequence is for your payroll specialist to confirm.

If something goes wrong

Approving said the line was sent to the approvals inbox

The overtime on the line is above your approval limit. A manager approves it from Home → Approvals inbox.

No minimum engagement top-up on a short casual shift

Check the worker’s pay profile: the employment type may be full-time or salaried. Correct it from Per worker → Pay profile.

No broken shift allowance

The shifts aren’t linked as a broken shift on the roster. Check that both shifts show the Broken shift badge.