Minimum engagement means that each time someone is called in to work, they’re paid for at least a set number of hours, even if the work takes less time.
The 2-hour minimum for disability support
For disability services work, casual and part-time employees must be paid for at least 2 hours each time they work. The rule changed in 2022. Before that, many short visits could be paid for less.
Example: a casual support worker does a 1.5-hour visit on a Tuesday. They must be paid for 2 hours, not 1.5.
Other kinds of work under the SCHADS Award can have different minimums, so check which applies.
Broken shifts
A broken shift is made of separate parts of work. Our checker applies the 2-hour minimum to each part of a broken shift. If you’re not sure how the minimum applies to your arrangement, check with the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Common mistakes
- Paying only for the minutes worked on short personal care visits
- Assuming the old minimum still applies after the 2022 change
- Treating the morning and evening parts of a broken shift as one engagement
Checking minimum engagement
In the pay checker, enter the shift’s real start and finish times. If any part is shorter than 2 hours, the checker adds a minimum engagement top-up and flags it.