Guest Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I wonder if those of you already living in perth can shed some light on the normal working conditions you endure. Having a few job offers I'm mulling over the finer details. What is apparent are the work hours seem to be longer and less holiday for eg 45 hours per week instead of 37.5 and 4 weeks holiday where as in the UK you tend to get about 23-30 days these days with a decent company. the companies which are offering these hours and holiday in Oz are the top 2 employers in Perth so I can only assume rates will be lower as will holiday and working hours with lesser companies. what are people getting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 4 weeks holiday is standard. Very few people get more than that. Nurses sometimes do. You do get around 10 public holidays a year on top of that. 45 hours a week seems a lot. Office workers would typically work 35-40 hours a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 As per above. 20 days holiday is the norm, but note that in most companies you also accrue "long service leave" (which you can only take after you've worked there a long time, like 10 years or so) and maybe "personal leave" as well (days off for stuff like your boiler breaks down, your kids are sick from school and you have no childcare, etc) Also agree 45 hours sound a lot. 35-40 being normal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochie Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Some places pay you extra for having a day off too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 45 is the normal that I have come across so it probably changes by industry. It works out as 5x8 of work plus an hour for lunch. Lots of places are flexible on start and finish time. Lots also start a fair bit earlier than the UK. Normally around 7am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolac34 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 The first office job I went to in Perth wanted me to work 45 hours a week (also very big employer here). I told the agency I wouldn't work 45 hours a week, she said it was negotiable and to discuss it with them when I went in. It wasn't negotiable so I didn't go back in for a second day! I work 8.30-5pm with an hour for lunch 5 days a week in my current office role. I'm expected to work late/early as necessary, but the norm is those hours. 20 days holiday is also the stingy norm here, and you have to accrue it (which is different to my previous jobs in the UK, where you get given your whole allowance up front) which means it's very difficult to take any holiday in your first year of working I've found. (And my office shuts for 4 days over christmas, so they take that out of my leave without any choice!) We've found that our employers are willing to let you take unpaid leave if it's a quiet time of year, so if we want to go on any big trips this is what we'll have to do. I've certainly found that the benefits, holidays, working conditions in Australia are far worse than England. I work for an ASX100 company and there are no benefits whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surflen22 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 In terms of holidays, depending on the employer, they make let you take it before its accrued (mine does) and if you go into negative, you have to pay it back if you leave. Some companies let you purchase extra weeks of leave too or, as Nicola said, take unpaid. Also, one thing you should be aware of is that if a company shuts down over Christmas/New Year you may have to use 3 days of leave on that - its compulsory so technically you only get 17 days that you can use. The public holidays help to make up for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 That is truly pants - 17 days is useless to me - I like to take 6 or 7 weeks off a year 45 hours isnt too bad if it includes lunch but I was aware that any other benefits are not given and yes it is much worse than the UK - you just have to put up with it. The US is truly awful - 2 weeks a year only with medical insurance and thats it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30085 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I will be applying for jobs within an office setting if I ever get over there but . . . I dont think it sounds much different to the UK? Or am I missing something? I did 10+ years in office jobs before my current job, small and large companies, and I have only ever had 20 days holdays + Bank Holidays? Standard hours were 35 or 37.5 working hours a week (exc lunch). None of my family in Perth work in an office to ask them, they are mostly tradies. Then I went self employed - cant afford to take time off never mind a holiday :no::dull::laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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