Breaks are essential for employee wellbeing, productivity, and compliance with workplace laws. In Australia, entitlements are set out by the Fair Work Ombudsman and vary depending on your industry award or enterprise agreement. Employers must ensure staff receive appropriate rest and meal breaks during their shifts.
Staff have recently demanded paid 10?minute breaks for 4–5 hour shifts, with Queensland McDonald’s workers turning to the Fast Food Workers’ Union to secure them.
However, it begs the question, how did the franchisee get away with this in the first place?
On the flip side, paid 10?minute breaks may already exist as intermittent pauses taken when needed.
Fair Work doesn’t specify that rest breaks must be uninterrupted, unlike 30?minute meal breaks. This creates ambiguity for workers, as the information isn’t easily accessible on the Fair Work website.
In hot kitchens and customer service roles, regular breaks for water or the loo are essential. A single 10?minute pause in 4 hours may be insufficient, as short breaks aid physical recovery, motivation, and work ethic.
Under the Fast Food Industry Award 2010, breaks must offer a meaningful pause, but interpretation varies, raising concerns over Queensland McDonald’s short-shift intermittent breaks
Further information:
Source: News.com.au
Title: Staff far from McHappy about breaks
Read time: 2 minutes