Employees of the Australian Taxation Office have shut down moves to increase their workday by less than 10 minutes after the government agency deemed their hours are inefficient.

‘Of all the changes proposed in the enterprise agreement package, this was the one you told us you disliked the most’

ATO workers pushed back after management put forward a proposal to change their clocking off time to 5pm from 4:51pm, the ABC reports.

Under the enterprise agreement proposal, the extra nine-minutes would mean staff would work an extra 4.5 working days a year.

ATO staff have rejected three EA proposals, the latest being in December last year, and have not been given a pay rise since 2013.

According to the documents sighted by the ABC, feedback on the EA proposals to extend the staffs' workday proved "highly contentious".

"Of all the changes proposed in the enterprise agreement package, this was the one you told us you disliked the most," the ABC quotes ATO briefing packs obtained under freedom of information laws as saying.

"It was clear from your feedback that this had to go and I think it goes a long way to demonstrating that we're genuine about getting an EA in place for the next three years."

ATO management pushed to increase staff workdays as they were not in line with "broader community standards".

"An increase to the working day of nine minutes per person per day can generate significant productivity – which could be used to justify other increases in entitlements, such as a higher pay rise," it said.

"However, it would be highly contentious with unions and employees, especially if there is not financial compensation."

Despite staff rejecting the proposal, an ATO spokeswoman told the ABC it remains committed to reaching a good outcome for "staff, the government and taxpayers".



Do you know more? Email Kate Kachor at kkachor@nine.com.au.