How to Configure Minimum Engagement Rules

What This Feature Does

Minimum Engagement Rules guarantee that workers are paid for a minimum number of hours per shift, even if the actual shift is shorter. This is a common requirement in Australian awards and enterprise agreements. For example, if a casual worker is called in for 2 hours but the award requires a minimum 4-hour engagement, the worker is paid for 4 hours.

Minimum engagement rules are configured within Rule Groups inside a pay rate document.

Key Concepts

Minimum Hours

The guaranteed minimum number of hours a worker must be paid for when they attend a shift. If actual hours are less than the minimum, "offset hours" are added to make up the difference.

Offset Hours

The difference between the minimum engagement hours and actual hours worked. These offset hours are paid at a configurable rate (normal or overtime).

Example: Minimum engagement = 4 hours, actual shift = 2.5 hours

• Offset hours = 4 - 2.5 = 1.5 hours
• Worker is paid for 2.5 hours of actual work + 1.5 hours of offset

Paid At Rate

You can configure whether offset hours are paid at:

• Normal rate: Standard base rate
• Overtime rate: OT1 or OT2 rate

Application Scope

Rules can be scoped to apply to:

• All shifts: Applies regardless of when the shift occurs
• Weekday only: Only applies Monday through Friday
• Weekend only: Only applies Saturday and Sunday

Activation Threshold (Optional)

By default, any shift below the minimum hours is topped up — even a very short one. The optional Activation Threshold changes this: the rule only applies once the worker has worked at least the threshold number of hours. Below the threshold, the shift is paid as worked with no top-up.

Use this when short shifts shouldn't be rounded up to the full minimum. For example, a customer with a 9-hour minimum engagement may not want a 3-hour shift topped up to 9 hours, but still wants a 6-hour shift topped up.

Example: Minimum engagement = 9 hours, activation threshold = 5 hours

The same hours that count toward the minimum also count toward the activation threshold — including hours from other timesheets on the same day (such as leave) and excluding any hours from excluded activities. Leave the field empty to keep the default behaviour (rule always applies).

Tiered Minimums (Optional)

Some agreements use stepped show-up pay: the guaranteed minimum increases with the hours the worker actually worked. This is common in US union agreements (IBEW-style clauses such as "0–2 hours worked pays 2 hours, over 2 to 4 hours pays 4 hours, over 4 to 6 hours pays 6 hours").

Enable Use tiered minimums on the rule and define the bands. Each tier has:

• Over hours: the tier applies once the worker has worked more than this many hours (0 = from the first minute)
• Guaranteed hours: the paid hours guaranteed for that band

The highest matching tier sets the guarantee. Hours at or above the top tier's guarantee are paid as worked — no top-up.

Example: Tiers over 0h → 2h, over 2h → 4h, over 4h → 6h, over 6h → 8h, over 8h → 10h

Tiers use the same hours base as the plain minimum: hours from other timesheets on the same day count, excluded activities don't, and paid breaks count. When tiers are enabled, the single Minimum Hours field automatically mirrors the top tier's guarantee. The activation threshold can still be combined with tiers — it gates the whole rule before the bands are evaluated, and no tier may start below the threshold (a band that promises hours the threshold gates out — for example a 1.5h threshold with an "over 0h → 2h" band — is rejected when saving the rule, including when the threshold is raised after the tiers were configured). The recommended shape anchors the first tier's "over hours" exactly at the threshold: with a 1.5h threshold and a first tier of "over 1.5h → 3h", a shift of exactly 1.5h passes the gate and is guaranteed 3h.

Activity Exclusions

By default, all hours count toward the minimum engagement threshold, including non-payable activities like Excused, Training, or other unpaid time. The worker was still on-site or committed to the shift, so these hours typically count when determining if they met the minimum.

However, you can choose to exclude specific activities from this calculation. When an activity is excluded, its hours are ignored when checking if the worker reached the minimum hours.

Example:

• Worker has 4h Excused (non-payable) + 5.6h Labour (payable)
• Minimum engagement rule is set to 8 hours

Use activity exclusions when your award or agreement specifies that certain types of time should not count toward minimum engagement requirements.

How to Create a Minimum Engagement Rule

1. Open a pay rate document from the Pay Rate Documents tab
2. Navigate to the Rule Groups section
3. In the minimum engagement rules area, click "Add Minimum Engagement Rule"
4. Fill in the form fields described below
5. Click "Save" to create the rule Basic Information:

• Rule Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "4-Hour Minimum for Casuals", "Weekend Minimum Engagement")
• Minimum Hours: The guaranteed minimum hours (e.g., 4)
• Activation Threshold: Optional — the minimum actual hours the worker must have before the rule applies. Leave empty to always apply. Must be less than the minimum hours (or the top tier's guarantee when tiers are enabled)
• Offset Description: Label for the make-up hours pay item when workers work less than the minimum (e.g., "Minimum engagement")

Tiered Minimums:

• Use tiered minimums: Optional — enable stepped show-up pay and define the bands (see the Tiered Minimums concept above). Guaranteed hours must increase from tier to tier

Rate Configuration:

• Paid At Rate: The rate at which minimum engagement hours are paid — Normal Rate or Overtime Rate
• Applies To: Which shifts this minimum engagement applies to — All Shifts, Weekday Only, or Weekend Only

Employment Types:

• Optionally restrict the rule to specific employment types (Full Time, Part Time, Casual). If none are selected, the rule applies to all employment types.

Activity Exclusions:

• Exclude Activities: Select activities whose hours should be ignored when calculating if the worker met the minimum. By default, all hours (including non-payable) count toward the threshold.

Cost Code:

• Cost Code: Select the cost code for the offset hours pay line item

How the Calculation Works

When "Apply Pay Rates" processes a timesheet:

1. The system checks if a minimum engagement rule applies to this timesheet
2. If the rule has an activation threshold and the worker's hours are below it, the rule does not apply — the shift is paid as worked with no top-up
3. If the rule has tiers, the guaranteed hours come from the highest matching band (below the lowest band, the rule does not apply); otherwise the guaranteed hours are the rule's minimum hours
4. If the worker's actual hours are less than the guaranteed hours:
   • Offset hours = guaranteed hours - actual hours
   • A separate pay line item is created for the offset hours
   • The offset is paid at the configured rate and linked to the specified cost code
5. If actual hours meet or exceed the guaranteed hours, the rule has no effect

Example Calculation

• Rule: 4-hour minimum engagement at normal rate
• Timesheet: Worker clocked 2 hours at $40/hour base rate
• Result:
  • 2 hours actual work: $80 (paid normally)
  • 2 hours offset: $80 (paid at normal rate)
  • Total: $160 (equivalent to 4 hours)

Tips

• Check your award: Most awards specify minimum engagement hours by employment type (casual workers often have higher minimums)
• Scope appropriately: Weekday and weekend minimums may differ under your award
• Use employment type filters: Permanent workers often have different minimum engagement requirements than casual workers
• Link to a dedicated cost code: Tracking offset hours separately helps identify the true cost of short shifts
• Review after applying: Check the Summary View to see which timesheets had offset hours added
• Activity exclusions are optional: Only exclude activities if your award specifically states certain time types shouldn't count toward minimum engagement. By default, all hours count, which is the most common requirement
• Use the activation threshold sparingly: Only set it if very short shifts should not be topped up. Most awards require the minimum for any attendance, which is the default behaviour when the field is left empty

What's Next

• Return to Rule Groups to configure other rule types
• Set up Consecutive Shift Rules for fatigue-based adjustments
• Configure Shift Spacing Rules for rest period enforcement