Award Pay Rates
Fair Work modern award minimum wages, by industry
Modern awards set the legal minimum pay for most Australian industries — classification levels, pay points, casual loading and penalty rates. If your employer has no enterprise agreement, your award is the floor your pay can't go below. Pick an award for its full rate tables, a pay-rate calculator and take-home estimates.
Award pay rate guides
Award rates by profession
Nursing and teaching award minimums live inside their profession sections, beside the enterprise-agreement scales most of those workers are actually paid on.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a modern award?
A modern award is a legal document setting the minimum pay rates and employment conditions for an industry or occupation — classifications, penalty rates, overtime, allowances and leave loading. Awards sit on top of the National Employment Standards, and almost every Australian industry has one. If your employer has no registered enterprise agreement, your award sets the minimum you can legally be paid.
How do award pay rates change?
The Fair Work Commission reviews all award minimum wages every year in its Annual Wage Review. Increases take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. Work value cases and equal remuneration orders can also lift specific awards or classifications outside that cycle.
What does the SCHADS award pay?
The SCHADS award's social and community services stream runs from about $54,439 to $140,674 a year full-time across eight levels, with separate scales for crisis accommodation, family day care and home care. See the SCHADS award page for every level, pay point, hourly and casual rate.
What if my employer has an enterprise agreement?
Then the agreement's rates apply instead of the award's, and they must leave you better off overall than the award (the 'better off overall test'). Award rates remain the floor — an agreement can't pay less. Public-sector and many large-employer pay scales are enterprise agreements; see the public service, nursing and teacher salary sections for those.
Is award pay the same as the national minimum wage?
No. The national minimum wage only applies to employees not covered by any award or agreement. Award classifications almost always pay more than the national minimum wage, and they step up with qualifications, experience and responsibility.
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