I’ve recently had some changes to my family circumstances and need to be more available to look after a young child.

I need to reduce my hours, but I don’t want to give up my permanent full- time job forever.

Changing family and caring responsibilities affect all of us and the NSWNMA is absolutely committed to advocating for better levels of job control for nurses and midwives in all sectors.

For workers outside of NSW Health, the federal government has strengthened your right to ask for a flexible work arrangement where you ask for a temporary change to your working hours or conditions (such as reduced days/hours, removal from certain shifts, or changes to your place of work), to suit your caring needs.

Your workplace should have an approved form and policy for a flexible working arrangement. To qualify, you need to have worked with your employer for 12 months and be able to demonstrate you care for a child under school age, or a person with disability or special needs.

If you work in the public sector in NSW, you have a right to ask for a temporary individual roster arrangement, or TIRA, for a temporary change to your hours of work or to the shifts you work, in order to adapt to childcare or other caring responsibilities for a period of time. In both cases, the employer can only refuse your request if they have ‘reasonable business grounds’ to do so. If you are having difficulty getting a flexible work arrangement or TIRA approved, contact the Association office for assistance.