All retail workers deserve time off.

Retail workers work incredibly hard day in and day out and we believe they deserve time off just like everybody else.

The SDA has been pushing to ensure any changes protect your right to a fair roster, your right to time off on public holidays and your right to be treated with respect.

Thanks to the SDA, retail workers in large retailers in suburban Adelaide now have the right to refuse to work on Sundays.

We are pleased with how Premier Peter Malinauskas and Attorney-General Kyam Maher engaged with the SDA and other stakeholders to ensure your rights to time off are protected.

 

 

Know Your Rights

As of November 6 2022, the following changes are occuring:

  • All retailers will be allowed to open from 9am-5pm on Sundays
  • All work on Sundays will be voluntary  
  • Public holiday trading will be limited to Boxing Day (Dec 26). Only general retailers (excluding supermarkets) will be allowed to open on Boxing Day from 9am-5pm.
  • All retailers will be able to open on additional public holidays (e.g. when New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday) 
  • Voluntary work provisions on public holidays will be strengthened

Under the new legislation, work on Sundays from 9am-5pm will be completely voluntary for all retail workers in suburban Adelaide – including salaried workers.

This means if you’re asked to work at any time on Sundays from November 6 onwards, you have the right to say no to this shift. 

You cannot be forced or pressured to work on Sundays under any circumstances.

If your employer is forcing any employees to work, they will be in breach of the legislation and will not be allowed to open. 

If you’re being forced or pressured to work, the SDA is here to help.

Book in a meeting to receive advice and assist with this from an SDA Information Officer.

Only general retailers (not supermarkets) are allowed to open on Boxing Day (December 26) in Adelaide from 9am-5pm. 

Work on Boxing Day is voluntary. 

If you’re being asked to work on Boxing Day, you have the right to say no and cannot be forced to work. 

 

The new legislation does not allow retailers to open on every public holiday. 

It allows general retailers to open on Boxing Day.

All retailers will be allowed to open on additional public holidays (e.g. when New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday).

If your employer proposes a change to your roster that you don’t agree with, you have the right to dispute it.

Your employer should consider your personal circumstances before changing your roster.

If you’re not happy with a change your employer is wishing to make to your roster, it’s very important that you do not sign the new roster or contract.

If you’ve signed off on the change, it makes it much more difficult to dispute this change later on.

The SDA is here to help you every step of the way with roster disputes.

These changes apply to all workers in retail and hardware employed within the Greater Adelaide Shopping District where the floor area is:

  • Over 200 sqm for department stores; or
  • Over 400 sqm for supermarkets.

The Greater Adelaide Shopping District comprises all suburbs from Gawler in the North to Aldinga in the South to Bridgewater in the East. 

It applies to waged and salaried employees. 

Example: these changes apply to workers at Coles Firle or Big W Brickworks, but not workers at IGA Leabrook or Woolworths Goolwa.