Can an employer change a roster?
Often, but how depends on the change. A swap, a shift moved at short notice and a new regular pattern each bring different rules into play. A documented way to check before you change anything.
General information only, not legal advice. Rules differ between awards, agreements, contracts and states, and what applies depends on the employee. Check the official source, and ask a workplace relations professional when it matters.
The short answer
Whether and how a roster can be changed depends on the award or agreement, the employment contract, and the kind of change.
A change to an employee’s regular roster or ordinary hours brings in the consultation term that every modern award and enterprise agreement contains. A part-time employee’s agreed hours can usually only change in the way the award allows, which is often by agreement in writing.
| Kind of change | What usually applies |
|---|---|
| A one-off change the employee asks for, such as a swap | The award’s rules on agreed changes, and a manager’s approval |
| A one-off change the business needs | Any notice the award sets for changing a roster |
| A new regular pattern | The consultation term: information, a chance to respond, and real consideration |
| A part-time employee’s agreed hours | The award’s part-time clause, often agreement in writing |
Official sources
Check the rule against these, in their current versions, before relying on it.
| Source | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Fair Work Act 2009 | Section 145A, consultation about changes to rosters or hours of work |
| Fair Work Ombudsman: find my award | Which award covers an employee |
Worked examples
General examples of where to look. They are not advice about any particular employee.
| Situation | What to check |
|---|---|
| Two baristas agree to swap a Saturday for a Sunday | Neither regular roster changes. Keep the agreement and the approval |
| A shop stops Sunday trading and moves staff to Saturdays for good | A change to regular rosters, so the consultation term applies before it starts |
| A part-time cook with agreed Monday to Wednesday hours is asked to add Fridays permanently | The award’s part-time clause, for how agreed hours are varied |
Employer checklist
- Decide whether the change is one-off or regular
- For a regular change, consult before deciding: explain it, ask for views, consider them
- For part-time employees, check how the award lets agreed hours change
- Give as much notice as you can, and at least what the award requires
- Keep a record of the change, the consultation and the outcome
What Roster Flow records, and what it does not decide
- The published roster, and every change to it with who made it and when
- Swaps agreed between staff and approved by a manager before the roster changes
- Whether consultation about a change was enough
- Whether a change needs the employee’s agreement
- Which award or agreement covers an employee
Review log
13 September 2026: written by Roster Flow from the structure of the National Employment Standards and modern awards.
18 September 2026: every statement on this page checked against the official sources it names, by Roster Flow. It is general information, not advice from a workplace relations professional.
What that check covers, and what to confirm for your own situation:
- How part-time agreed hours can be varied under the common awards
- Whether the common awards require notice for one-off changes
- That every source link opens the current version of the source
Questions
Can an employer change a roster?
Whether and how a roster can be changed depends on the award or agreement, the employment contract, and the kind of change.
Is there more to changing a roster than that?
A change to an employee’s regular roster or ordinary hours brings in the consultation term that every modern award and enterprise agreement contains. A part-time employee’s agreed hours can usually only change in the way the award allows, which is often by agreement in writing.
Does Roster Flow decide changing a roster for me?
No. It does not interpret an award and it does not work out what anybody is paid. Whether consultation about a change was enough stays with the business and its own advisers, and this page is general information rather than advice about your situation.
Where do the rules on changing a roster come from?
Fair Work Act 2009, covering section 145A, consultation about changes to rosters or hours of work. Fair Work Ombudsman: find my award, covering which award covers an employee. Read them in their current versions before you rely on anything here, because they change.