Summarise with AI
What a broken shift is
A broken shift is a single day's work divided into two or more separate working periods, with an unpaid gap in between that is longer than an ordinary meal break. A support worker might, for example, work a morning period, have several hours off unpaid, then return for an evening period. Broken shifts are governed by the applicable Modern Award, which sets rules on breaks and often requires a broken shift allowance.
Continuous shift
- One unbroken working period
- Only a paid or short meal break
- No mid-shift unpaid gap
Broken shift
- Two or more working periods
- Unpaid gap longer than a meal break
- Often attracts an allowance
Where broken shifts apply
Broken shifts are most common where demand peaks at particular times of day:
- Social and community services: under the SCHADS award, where care is delivered around clients' morning and evening needs
- Hospitality: under the hospitality award, covering lunch and dinner service with a gap between
- Transport and cleaning: where work concentrates at the start and end of the day
Broken shift allowances and rules
Because an unpaid gap keeps an employee tied to their workday without pay, many awards require a broken shift allowance and place limits on the arrangement — such as the maximum number of unpaid breaks and the total span of the shift. The SCHADS award, for example, sets specific broken shift allowances and break rules. Getting these right is where an award interpretation engine earns its keep.
Check the award's broken shift clause
The number of breaks allowed, the maximum span of the shift, and the allowance payable all vary by award. Rostering a broken shift that breaches these limits can create an underpayment or a compliance breach — always confirm the applicable Modern Award clause.
Broken shift vs other arrangements
A broken shift differs from overtime (extra hours beyond ordinary hours) and from a simple meal break (a short, often unpaid pause within a continuous shift). The defining feature of a broken shift is a substantial unpaid gap that splits the workday into distinct periods, which is why awards treat it separately and often compensate it.
Common mistakes with broken shifts
Not paying the allowance
Forgetting the broken shift allowance where the award requires it is a common underpayment error.
Too many unpaid breaks
Rostering more breaks than the award allows breaches the broken shift clause.
Exceeding the total span
Many awards cap how long the whole broken shift (first start to last finish) can span.
Key takeaways
A broken shift splits a day's work into two or more periods separated by an unpaid gap longer than a meal break. Common under the SCHADS and hospitality awards, broken shifts come with award rules on the number of breaks and the span of the shift, and usually attract a broken shift allowance.
Rostering broken shifts within award limits — and applying the right allowance and penalties — is complex to do by hand. RosterElf builds compliant broken shifts and costs them automatically using your award's rules.
Rostering broken shifts under SCHADS or the hospitality award? RosterElf handles split shifts, unpaid gaps and broken shift allowances automatically.
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