Clause 19 of the UNSW (General Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2006 ('the Agreement'), sets out the notification periods and considerations required prior to changing the established pattern of working hours for general staff employees.

The Agreement defines established pattern of hours as:

"…the pattern of hours within the span of hours worked by an employee consistent with the custom and practice of the work unit."

From time to time managers may wish to change the established pattern of hours of an employee or a group of employees. Normally such a change would encompass a change to the start and/or finish times of employees, or a change to work rosters in order to better meet the needs of the work unit.

As per Clause 19 of the Agreement, in the case of a temporary change to an employee's hours, 7 days notice (or less if mutually agreed to) is required. In the case of permanent change 21 days notice (again less if mutually agreed) is required.

The process of changing the established pattern of work hours for an employee(s) described above do not apply in the case where it is proposed to change the hours of operation of a work unit. Proposed changes to the hours of operation of a work unit will need to be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of managing change in the workplace (clause 24.0 of the Agreement).