10-Hour Shift: Break Entitlements
Meal and rest break entitlements for a 10-hour shift under common Australian Modern Awards.
Quick Answer
On a 10-hour shift you get two 10-minute paid rest breaks and a 30–60 minute unpaid meal break under the Fast Food, Clerks, Nurses and Aged Care awards. The General Retail Award adds a second unpaid meal break once a shift is 10 hours or more. The Hospitality Award gives one meal break (at least 30 minutes) and one 20-minute paid break.
Meal Break (usually unpaid)
30–60 min unpaid; two meal breaks under the General Retail Award
Rest Breaks (paid)
2 x 10 min (paid) — Hospitality 1 x 20 min
Break Entitlements by Award
Break rules vary by Modern Award. Here's what a 10-hour shift looks like under common awards, read from each award's break clause. An enterprise agreement can set different breaks.
| Award | Meal Break | Rest Breaks | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Retail (GRIA) | 2 x 30-60 min unpaid | 2 x 10 min paid | cl 16.2 Table 3 |
| Hospitality (HIGA) | 1 x at least 30 min unpaid | 1 x 20 min paid (or 2 x 10 min) | cl 16.2 Table 2 |
| Fast Food | 1 x 30-60 min unpaid | 2 x 10 min paid | cl 14.1 Table 2 |
| Clerks—Private Sector | 1 x 30-60 min unpaid | 2 x 10 min paid | cl 15.2 Table 2 and cl 15.3 |
| Nurses Award 2020 | 1 x 30-60 min unpaid | 2 x 10 min paid | cl 14.1 and cl 14.2 |
| Aged Care | 1 x 30-60 min unpaid | 2 x 10 min paid | cl 24.1 and cl 24.2 |
How Breaks Work in Practice
- •Under the General Retail Award a shift of 10 hours or more gets two unpaid meal breaks and two paid rest breaks.
- •Under the Hospitality Award, the paid break becomes two 20-minute breaks once you work more than 10 hours.
- •The minimum break between shifts depends on your award: 12 hours under the General Retail Award (10 by agreement, cl 16.6), 10 hours under the Hospitality, Nurses and Aged Care awards.
- •Whether the extra hours are overtime depends on your award's ordinary-hours rules.
What if you don't get your breaks?
If your employer isn't giving you the breaks you're entitled to under your award, that's a breach. Here's what to do.
- Raise it with your manager first — in writing if possible.
- Keep a record of every shift where you were denied a break.
- Contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 or lodge an online complaint.
- You may be entitled to back pay if you worked through unpaid meal breaks — use our Back Pay Calculator.
Check your exact entitlement
Want to check your specific award and shift? Our Break Compliance Checker matches your shift length against the rules for your award.
Open Break Compliance Checker →Frequently Asked Questions
How many breaks do you get on a 10-hour shift in Australia?
On a 10-hour shift you usually get two 10-minute paid rest breaks and at least one 30–60 minute unpaid meal break. The General Retail Award gives two meal breaks from 10 hours. The Hospitality Award gives one meal break plus one 20-minute paid break.
Are breaks paid on a 10-hour shift?
Rest breaks are paid — the clock keeps running. Meal breaks are unpaid under most awards, so the clock stops (under the General Retail Award, shiftworkers' meal breaks are paid too).
Do I get a second meal break on a 10-hour shift?
Under the General Retail Award, yes — a shift of 10 hours or more gets two unpaid meal breaks of 30–60 minutes. The Hospitality Award gives one meal break plus paid rest breaks instead.
Is a 10-hour shift legal in Australia?
Yes, if your award allows it and the hours are reasonable. The minimum break between shifts depends on your award: 12 hours under the General Retail Award (10 by agreement, cl 16.6), 10 hours under the Hospitality, Nurses and Aged Care awards.
Other shift lengths
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