Local Government Industry Award

The award is broad but not universal across councils, so the exclusions and classification test still need to be applied role by role.

• Check whether the employer is a local government entity or a controlled corporation within the award definition.
• Apply the carve outs for chief executives and the specialist occupations directed to other awards.
• Use the most appropriate classification test if another award may also fit the work being done.

Status, classification and written part-time patterns are core controls under this award because councils often use a mix of predictable and variable hours.

• Record at engagement whether the employee is full-time, part-time or casual.
• For part-time employees, agree the regular pattern in writing and record later variations in writing.
• Use the agreed additional hours mechanism carefully and treat directed extra hours beyond the agreement as overtime.
• Advise employees in writing of their classification level on commencement and when it changes.

Ordinary hours in local government depend heavily on the work area, so one council wide roster assumption is often wrong.

• The default span is Monday to Friday daytime work, but many listed work areas have wider ordinary hour spans across weekends as well.
• A maximum ordinary day applies, with a longer day possible by agreement between employer and employee.
• The right to disconnect applies through the Act and managers must not block the employee from exercising it.

Allowance exposure in councils often follows real duty allocation on the day, so it should be tied to records of supervision, first aid appointment and field conditions.

• Pay and separately identify the allowances the employee is entitled to.
• Check leading hand and first aid issues carefully because they depend on appointment and supervisory duties, not just informal practice.
• For adverse working conditions, confirm both the employee's level and the conditions actually worked under.

The schedule is skills based, which makes it useful for councils that employ mixed operational and office workforces under a single award.

• Level 1 is entry level operational work with minimal experience and qualifications.
• Level 3 includes higher level operational duties and entry level administrative work.
• Level 4 is the entry level for technical and trade employees and can involve leading small groups and applying trades, administrative or technical skills.

Councils need forms and internal procedures that reflect both the award and the NES, especially for flexible work and casual status issues.

• Flexible work requests are handled through the NES and may move through the award dispute process.
• Individual flexibility arrangements can vary only the award subjects listed in clause 5 and only if the employee is better off overall.
• Casual conversion also sits with the NES pathway and should not be replaced by informal local practice.

PR799280, PR799392, PR799547

The current consolidated award incorporates these recent variation determinations. Use the consolidated wording when checking any affected clause, schedule, rate or allowance.

Affected: 16 - Minimum rates, 19 - Allowances, 21 - Overtime, Schedule B - Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay, Schedule C - Summary of Monetary Allowances, Schedule E - Supported Wage System