Unauthorised overtime policy template

An employee can physically work extra hours without approval, but under Fair Work an employer is generally not obligated to pay for hours that were never requested, required or approved. The catch is ‘implied authorisation’ — if a manager knows the work is being done, or that the workload makes it unavoidable, and says nothing, those hours can become payable. A clear pre-approval process removes the grey area.

If work is actually performed and the employer knows or ought reasonably to know about it, the hours must be paid — you cannot withhold pay for time worked. Working without authorisation may still be a policy breach that warrants disciplinary action, but that is handled separately from pay. Accurate payroll integration helps you pay correctly while still enforcing the policy.

Yes. Under the National Employment Standards an employer can request reasonable additional hours, but an employee may refuse overtime that is unreasonable considering factors like their role, pay, the notice given, family responsibilities and any risk to health and safety from fatigue.

Require pre-approval for all overtime, use time and attendance systems that flag excessive or unapproved hours, train managers to monitor patterns, and make sure workloads are achievable within ordinary hours. Where overtime keeps recurring, fix the underlying staffing or rostering issue rather than relying on enforcement alone.

Yes, if the policy clearly requires pre-approval and employees have acknowledged it. Apply a fair, progressive process and make sure staff aren’t being implicitly pressured to work extra hours. If overtime is regularly needed to get the job done, address the root cause — for example by reviewing rosters or calculating the true overtime cost — before treating it as a conduct issue.