World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Queensland hospital manager loses appeal for earlier working hours
Kelly Meakin lost her appeal for earlier working hours at Logan Hospital in Queensland.
Meakin, a senior manager in the Women's and Children's Services Unit, sought permission to sometimes start at 6.30am and finish at 2.36pm.
The commissioner said her role required her presence from 8am to 4pm, when the unit was busiest.
She supervises 32 staff and manages daily workflows, staffing gaps and service continuity.
A proposed stand-in lacked authority to make staffing decisions, and the commissioner said colleagues’ arrangements were not comparable.
Meakin also said a GP had recommended flexible hours for her wellbeing, but the commissioner noted that her original request did not mention medical advice.
The commissioner dismissed her appeal on October 15, and the sources give no further step in the case.
Queensland Industrial Relations Commissioner Daniel Pratt dismissed Kelly Meakin’s appeal for greater flexibility in her working hours.
Meakin, a senior administration manager at Logan Hospital, sought to start at 6.30am and finish at 2.36pm on some occasions.
Queensland Health had only partially approved her request, saying her role required her to be available during the unit’s core hours of 8am to 4pm.
The commission found that her proposed absence would leave the busy unit without suitable cover for key management duties.
Pratt also found that the colleagues Meakin cited did not have circumstances comparable to hers.
- Who
- Kelly Meakin, a senior administration manager in Logan Hospital’s Women’s and Children’s Services Unit, appealed Queensland Health’s decision.
- What
- Her appeal for greater flexibility in her working hours was dismissed.
- When
- The commissioner dismissed the appeal on October 15. The article was published on October 20, 2026.
- Where
- Logan Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
- Why
- The commissioner found Meakin needed to be present during the unit’s core hours and that no suitable employee was available to cover her duties.
Kelly Meakin
Metro South
Working hours
Kelly Meakin
Meakin sought greater flexibility, including sometimes starting at 6.30am and finishing at 2.36pm.
Metro South
Metro South said her role required her availability during the unit’s core hours of 8am to 4pm.
Cover for duties
Kelly Meakin
Meakin suggested an executive support officer could cover her telephone duties during her absences.
Metro South
Metro South said no suitable employee was available to cover her absence at short notice; the commission accepted that the officer lacked authority to make staffing decisions.
Comparison with colleagues
Kelly Meakin
Meakin argued that colleagues had been granted similar flexibility.
Metro South
Metro South said the cited employees’ arrangements were different and did not provide a comparable basis for her request.
Queensland Health partially approved Meakin’s flexible-work request, with conditions.
Queensland Industrial Relations Commissioner Daniel Pratt dismissed Meakin’s appeal.
- Employee
- Kelly Meakin
- Workplace
- Logan Hospital, Queensland
- Proposed hours
- Start at 6.30am and finish at 2.36pm on occasion
- Unit core hours
- 8am to 4pm
- Staff supervised
- 32
What people are saying
It was simply not operationally viable, even though it suited Ms Meakin, for Ms Meakin to commence work at 6.30 am every day and be gone just after 2.30 pm because her presence was needed between 8am and 4pm
It is not fair to that person to put them into a position to carry out work in the absence of Ms Meakin which is work they do not have the delegation to carry out