Sleepover shifts under SCHADS have been the subject of significant litigation and regulatory change. The 2026 determination, taking effect 1 June, changes minimum payments, wake-up provisions, and how ordinary hours interact. This framework covers the five things every provider should check.
Have you mapped where sleepovers occur in your roster?
Where sleepovers occur across a roster depends on the service mix, the client contracts, and any 24-hour care arrangements. The map is rarely as simple as ‘sleepovers happen in respite’.
Are you applying the correct minimum sleepover payment?
What the correct minimum sleepover payment looks like depends on the period the shift falls in (pre- or post-determination), the structure of the shift, and the employee’s classification.
Are wake-up payments correctly captured?
How wake-up time should be captured and paid depends on the duration of the wake-up, the work performed, and the Award’s treatment of interrupted sleepovers.
Have you reviewed contracts and rosters for compliance?
Which contracts and rosters need updating depends on how sleepover provisions were originally drafted and what the determination has changed. Older contracts can sit out of step with the current Award.
Are you ready to communicate the change to employees?
How and when to communicate the change to employees depends on the workforce, the channels available, and the affected roster patterns. Clear, in-advance communication reduces dispute risk.
Three things to watch for
The detailed version of this framework
Worked examples, the questions to ask before you act, and the case law that shaped the current position. Tell us where to send it and it opens straight away.
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