Overtime

Overtime is extra time worked outside the ordinary hours set by the award, enterprise agreement, or contract that applies to that worker.

In Australia there is no single national overtime multiplier that applies everywhere. Most hourly employees are covered by a modern award, and overtime and penalty rates depend on that instrument. Public holidays, evenings, weekends, broken shifts, and overtime can all be treated differently, which is why the applicable award matters more than any one generic rule.

For rostered teams, overtime often appears when someone works beyond the ordinary span of hours, stays on after a late change, or picks up extra coverage at short notice. Managers need to read the award or agreement that applies to that role before assuming what the extra time costs.

Different elsewhere: in the US, overtime is often described as time-and-a-half under one broad federal frame. In Australia the real question is which award or agreement governs the work, because that decides the rates.