How to roster gas staff
Create compliant rosters for gas shift and on-call crews under the Gas Industry Award 2020 (MA000061), including classifications, shift loadings, on-call availability duty, and licence management.
Written by
Steve Harris
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This guide provides general information about gas industry rostering under Australian awards. Many gas and utilities operations are covered by enterprise agreements with additional provisions. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
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Key takeaways
- Most transmission, distribution, wholesaling and retailing gas staff are covered by the Gas Industry Award 2020 (MA000061) — gas manufacturing and LP gas are separate
- A single ladder runs from Level 1 ($26.44/hr) to Level 8 ($36.89/hr), with a 25% casual loading
- Afternoon shifts are 115% and night shifts 130%, with Saturday at 150%, Sunday 200%, and public holidays 250%
- Pay the $290.97/week availability-duty allowance (pro-rata per day) for on-call crews and keep gas-fitting licences current
Gas staff rostering in Australia
Rostering gas industry staff in Australia requires balancing continuous network operations, after-hours fault response, and strict award compliance under the Gas Industry Award 2020. This guide builds on general roster types with gas-specific requirements. Unlike fixed-hours businesses, gas workforce management involves rotating day/afternoon/night shifts, availability (on-call) duty, and complex overtime and penalty rates alongside licence obligations. Start with clear gas job descriptions for each role and classification level.
Gas employers must manage field crews, metering technicians, control-room operators, and specialist roles across day, afternoon, and night rotations. Each role requires specific gas-fitting licences and competencies that must be current before rostering workers to site, and pay depends on getting the classification, shift type, and allowances right.
Industry reality: Gas businesses face 24/7 network obligations, unplanned fault callouts, and the need to balance labour costs against service reliability. Poor rostering leads to safety risk, underpayment claims from missed availability-duty allowances, and gaps in after-hours fault coverage.
This guide provides a comprehensive approach to creating compliant gas rosters that meet award requirements, support network safety, manage fatigue, and control operational labour costs. Learn more about gas rostering software.
Base rates by classification 2026
The Gas Industry Award 2020 (MA000061) sets classification-based pay for the transmission, distribution, wholesaling and retailing of gas. Casuals add 25%.
| Classification / item | Base hourly | Casual (+25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Level 1 (entry adult) | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Gas Level 8 (top adult) | $36.89 | $46.11 |
| Availability duty allowance | +$290.97/week | Pro-rata per day on-call |
Critical: Gas manufacturing is covered by a separate award, and LP gas and electrical-power-industry work are excluded from the Gas Award. Confirm coverage with our find-the-right-award guide before you roster.
6 steps to compliant gas rostering
Follow these steps to create compliant and effective gas rosters under the Gas Industry Award.
Confirm the award and coverage
Check that your workers are covered by the Gas Industry Award 2020 (MA000061) before you build a roster.
Key points:
- MA000061 covers transmission, distribution, wholesaling and retailing of gas
- Gas manufacturing is a separate award — not MA000061
- LP gas and electrical-power-industry work are excluded from the Gas Award
- Confirm coverage before you classify staff or apply loadings
Classify staff by level
Assign each worker the correct classification level so their base pay and penalties are right.
Key points:
- A single ladder runs from Level 1 ($26.44/hr) to Level 8 ($36.89/hr)
- Match each role to the classification descriptors, not just job title
- Casual employees receive a 25% casual loading on the base rate
- A Level 1 casual base becomes $33.05/hr before penalties
Choose the shift and on-call pattern
Decide between fixed day work, rotating day/afternoon/night shifts, continuous 24/7 operations, and availability (on-call) duty.
Key points:
- Fixed day shifts suit metering, retail and admin roles
- Rotating 3-shift rosters cover continuous network operations
- Availability duty puts fault crews on-call outside ordinary hours
- Plan a standby relief pool for after-hours gas faults
Apply shift loadings and penalties
Calculate the correct loadings for shift type, weekends, public holidays and overtime.
Key points:
- Afternoon shift: 115%; night shift: 130% of the ordinary rate
- Saturday: 150%; Sunday: 200%; public holidays: 250%
- Overtime: 150% for the first 2 hours then 200%
- Availability duty allowance is $290.97/week (pro-rata per day)
Manage availability duty, licences and fatigue
Build rosters that pay availability duty correctly, keep gas-fitting licences current, and manage fatigue across rotating shifts and callouts.
Key points:
- Pay the availability-duty allowance for every day an employee is on-call
- Verify gas-fitting licences and safety competencies before rostering to site
- Provide adequate rest between consecutive shifts and after night rotations
- Ensure on-call crews are rested enough to respond safely to faults
Publish and sync to payroll
Share the roster and send approved hours to payroll with award interpretation applied.
Key points:
- Publish shifts to the mobile app so crews see their roster instantly
- Export approved hours to Xero or MYOB without re-keying
- Apply automatic award interpretation to loadings and allowances
- Refresh classification rates each 1 July
Gas shift loadings 2026
Current penalty rates and shift loadings under the Gas Industry Award.
| Shift Type | Loading | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon shift | 115% | Loading on the ordinary hourly rate |
| Night shift | 130% | Loading on the ordinary hourly rate |
| Saturday | 150% | Ordinary hours worked Saturday |
| Sunday (all hours) | 200% | All gas industry workers |
| Public holiday | 250% | Work performed on a public holiday |
| Overtime | 150% first 2hrs, 200% after | Applies once ordinary hours are exceeded |
| Availability (on-call) duty | $290.97/week | Pro-rata per day for on-call employees |
| First aid allowance | $22.38/week | Where first aid duties are required |
| Meal allowance (overtime) | $22.15 | Per qualifying overtime meal break |
| Casual loading | +25% | Added to the base rate |
Figures reflect the FY2026/27 Gas Industry Award. Callout hours worked while on availability duty attract the applicable overtime rate on top of the allowance. Use our penalty rate calculator for accurate shift cost planning.
Common gas shift and on-call patterns
Shift and availability-duty patterns for continuous gas network operations and after-hours fault response.
Fixed day
Standard daytime ordinary hours
Metering, retail and admin roles
Rotating 3-shift
Day, afternoon and night rotation
Continuous gas network operations
Availability duty
On-call outside rostered hours
Emergency response & fault crews
4-on 4-off
4 days on, 4 days off (12hr shifts)
Control rooms & distribution
Standby roster
Rostered relief pool for callouts
After-hours network faults
Where the cost sits
Most gas rostering cost sits in the loadings and on-call arrangements: afternoon (115%) and night (130%) shifts, weekend and public-holiday penalties, and the $290.97/week availability-duty allowance for on-call crews. Track hours by pattern so afternoon, night, and callout costs are visible before you publish the roster.
Licences and safety considerations for gas rostering
Gas fieldwork has specific licence and safety requirements that must be factored into rostering decisions.
Critical licence and safety factors for gas rostering:
Common gas rostering mistakes
Avoid these costly errors that lead to compliance issues, safety risks, and underpayment claims.
Applying the wrong award
Consequence: Underpayment or overpayment when gas manufacturing or LP gas rules are used by mistake
Solution: Confirm coverage — gas manufacturing is a separate award, and LP gas and electrical-power work are excluded from MA000061 — using our find-the-right-award guide
Missing the availability-duty allowance
Consequence: Underpayment claims from on-call employees and back-pay exposure
Solution: Pay the $290.97/week availability-duty allowance (pro-rata per day) for on-call time and automate it with award interpretation
Applying the wrong shift loadings
Consequence: Systematic underpayment on afternoon and night rotations
Solution: Use the correct loadings — afternoon 115% and night 130% — not a single blended figure across all shifts
Using the wrong classification level
Consequence: Incorrect base pay and every penalty calculated off that base
Solution: Match each worker to the Level 1–8 descriptors rather than defaulting to a role title
Keeping long-term casuals on a fixed roster
Consequence: Casual conversion disputes and entitlement claims
Solution: Review casual arrangements regularly and consider permanent conversion for workers on a regular fixed roster
Not updating rates each July
Consequence: Underpayment claims once the annual wage review takes effect
Solution: Refresh classification rates every 1 July and let rostering software apply the new figures
Advanced gas rostering strategies
Strategies for complex gas rostering scenarios and continuous-operation workforce optimization.
Continuous-operation rostering
Gas networks that run 24/7 need multiple crews rotating around the clock, with clear handovers and correct pay treatment for afternoon and night shifts at each site.
- Crew rotation: Use rotating and 4-on 4-off roster lines so every shift is covered without gaps
- Shift pay: Apply 115% for afternoon and 130% for night shifts, distinct from ordinary day work
- On-call tracking: Automatically apply the $290.97/week availability-duty allowance to on-call crews
Learn more: How to calculate overtime costs
Licence and competency-based allocation
Match qualified workers to shifts based on gas-fitting licences, competencies, and classification level. Different activities require specific coverage and supervision on every rotation.
Example licence requirements by activity:
- Network fieldwork: Licensed gas fitters
- Metering & installation: Metering technicians
- Control room / SCADA: Control-room operators
- Emergency response: On-call fault crews
Tip: Use rostering software with skills tagging to ensure licensed workers are assigned to appropriate tasks and receive roster warnings for missing or expiring licences.
On-call and callout contingency planning
Unplanned faults and sickness are common in gas operations. Build flexibility into rosters to cover callouts without pushing crews into excessive overtime or unsafe fatigue.
- Relief pool: Maintain a pool of licensed relief workers to cover callouts and unplanned absences
- Fatigue limits: Enforce consecutive-shift and cumulative-hour limits before offering extra shifts or callouts
- Communication systems: Use instant notifications to fill open shifts and inform crews of changes quickly
Free gas rostering calculators
Essential calculators to help you manage gas staff costs, penalties, compliance, and operational labour budgets.
Payroll cost calculator
FEATUREDCalculate total gas staff costs including super, penalty rates, shift loadings, and the availability-duty allowance for accurate budget planning.
Shift cost calculator
Estimate individual shift costs including afternoon, night, and weekend penalties across a rotating roster.
Labour cost percentage
Track labour costs as a percentage of revenue to protect gas operation margins.
Penalty rate calculator
Calculate weekend, public holiday, and shift work penalty costs for accurate gas payroll.
Break compliance checker
Ensure breaks comply with award requirements across day, afternoon, and night shifts.
Roster cost forecast
Project labour costs for upcoming rosters and identify budget risks early.
View all 16 free rostering and payroll calculators including award misclassification, underpayment risk, and backpay exposure estimators.
Gas rostering software
How specialized rostering software simplifies gas workforce management, shift planning, and award compliance.
Automatic award interpretation & compliance
Built-in Gas Award interpretation applies afternoon and night shift loadings, weekend and public-holiday penalties, the availability-duty allowance, and the correct overtime treatment.
Licence & competency tracking
Track gas-fitting licences, competencies, inductions, and medical clearances with expiry reminders. Roster warnings prevent assigning workers to shifts without current credentials.
Continuous & on-call rostering
Plan rotating, 4-on 4-off, and availability-duty rosters from one platform, track hours by crew, and see which lines are over or under staffed at a glance.
Accurate time capture & labour costing
Capture accurate clock-ins across shifts and see real-time wage costs including all penalty rates, loadings, and the availability-duty allowance before you publish the roster.
Trusted by Australian utilities businesses
RosterElf helps gas, utilities, and infrastructure operators manage complex continuous and on-call rosters with support for Gas Award compliance. Join 30,000+ Australian businesses rostering smarter.
Right to disconnect (New from August 2025)
From 26 August 2025, employees of small business employers have the right to disconnect - meaning they can refuse to monitor, read, or respond to contact from their employer outside of working hours unless the refusal is unreasonable. This applies to gas workers and should be considered when planning after-hours contact and availability-duty (on-call) arrangements.
Regulatory sources & compliance
This guide is aligned with official Australian gas industry workplace regulations and safety standards.
Streamline gas rostering
RosterElf helps gas and utilities businesses manage continuous and on-call crews, track licences and competencies, and support your compliance efforts with the Gas Award. Built for Australian businesses.
How RosterElf helps with gas crew rostering
Purpose-built tools to make gas crew rostering faster, easier, and compliant for Australian businesses.
Related guides & resources
Learn more about gas rostering and workforce compliance.
Gas award rates guide
Current MA000061 pay rates, loadings, and allowances.
Calculate overtime costs
Work out overtime and penalty costs accurately.
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Find the right award
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Common roles in gas
Download free job description templates for your gas team
Simplify your rostering today
Join thousands of Australian businesses using RosterElf to create compliant rosters, apply award interpretation, and manage continuous and on-call gas crews. Built for Australian businesses.
Frequently asked questions
- Most employees in the transmission, distribution, wholesaling and retailing of gas are covered by the Gas Industry Award 2020 (MA000061). Gas manufacturing is covered by a separate award, and LP gas and electrical-power-industry work are excluded from the Gas Award. Always confirm coverage before rostering — use our guide to finding the right award.
- No. MA000061 explicitly excludes LP gas and electrical-power-industry work, and gas manufacturing sits under a separate award. Getting this boundary right matters because the classifications, allowances and penalties differ. If you are unsure whether a role sits inside or outside MA000061, check the classification descriptors or review whether an enterprise agreement applies instead.