Your Uniting Enterprise Agreement states that if you are asked to work more than two hours overtime and that this overtime goes beyond 7:00am, 1:00pm, and 6:00pm, you are entitled to have a meal supplied to you or you should be paid a meal allowance, as follows:

• $16.85 for breakfast
• $21.81 for lunch
• $31.84 for an evening meal

The choice of either providing a meal or paying the allowance is up to Uniting, but you should be given one of these. If a meal is provided, it should be of an appropriate standard. You don’t have to rely on sandwiches that have been provided as extras for your residents if they get hungry during the night. 

If you have been asked to work overtime beyond two hours:

1. Speak with your manager and confirm which will be provided.
2. If a meal has not been provided, check your next payslip to confirm that you have been paid the appropriate meal allowance.
3. If this has not been paid, put in a pay query with payroll.

Being provided a meal or being paid a meal allowance is your right – make sure you are receiving it.

Know someone who isn’t a member? If you know a workmate who is not yet a member of the HSU, encourage them to join now.

New members should join at www.hsu.asn.au/join or call 1300 478 679. When we stand together, we can make sure our voices are heard at work.