The Fair Work Commission has recently announced a 1.75% increase to minimum wages. This applies to all Award wages.
This year, the increases are being implemented in 3 stages. There are 3 different dates for different groups of Awards.
Most employees are covered by an Award. If you’re not sure which award applies to your business, please book in for a call to get advice.For anyone not covered by an award or an agreement, the new national minimum wage will be $753.80 per week or $19.84 per hour. This applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2020.
Group 1
The new minimum wages will start in the following awards from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2020.
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award
Aged Care Award
Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award
Banking, Finance and Insurance Award
Cemetery Industry Award
Children’s Services Award
Cleaning Services Award
Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award
Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award
Educational Services (Teachers) Award
Electrical Power Industry Award
Fire Fighting Industry Award
Funeral Industry Award
Gas Industry Award
Health Professionals and Support Services Award
Medical Practitioners Award
Nurses Award
Pharmacy Industry Award
Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award
State Government Agencies Award
Water Industry Award
Group 2
The new minimum wages will start in the following awards from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 November 2020.
Aluminium Industry Award
Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award
Aquaculture Industry Award
Architects Award
Asphalt Industry Award
Black Coal Mining Industry Award
Book Industry Award
Broadcasting, Recorded Entertainment and Cinemas Award
Building and Construction General On-site Award
Business Equipment Award
Car Parking Award
Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award
Clerks—Private Sector Award
Coal Export Terminals Award
Concrete Products Award
Contract Call Centres Award
Cotton Ginning Award
Dredging Industry Award
Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award
Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award
Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award
Gardening and Landscaping Services Award
Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award
Higher Education Industry-Academic Staff-Award
Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award
Horticulture Award
Hydrocarbons Field Geologists Award
Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award
Joinery and Building Trades Award
Journalists Published Media Award
Labour Market Assistance Industry Award
Legal Services Award
Local Government Industry Award
Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award
Marine Towage Award
Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award
Market and Social Research Award
Meat Industry Award
Mining Industry Award
Miscellaneous Award
Mobile Crane Hiring Award
Oil Refining and Manufacturing Award
Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award
Pastoral Award
Pest Control Industry Award
Pharmaceutical Industry Award
Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award
Port Authorities Award
Ports, Harbours and Enclosed Water Vessels Award
Poultry Processing Award
Premixed Concrete Award
Professional Diving Industry (Industrial) Award
Professional Employees Award
Rail Industry Award
Real Estate Industry Award
Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award
Road Transport and Distribution Award
Salt Industry Award
Seafood Processing Award
Seagoing Industry Award
Security Services Award
Silviculture Award
Stevedoring Industry Award
Storage Services and Wholesale Award
Sugar Industry Award
Supported Employment Services Award
Surveying Award
Telecommunications Services Award
Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award
Timber Industry Award
Transport (Cash in Transit) Award
Waste Management Award
Wool Storage, Sampling and Testing Award
Group 3
The new minimum wages will start in the following awards from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 February 2021.
Air Pilots Award
Aircraft Cabin Crew Award
Airline Operations-Ground Staff Award
Airport Employees Award
Alpine Resorts Award
Amusement, Events and Recreation Award
Commercial Sales Award
Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award
Fast Food Industry Award
Fitness Industry Award
General Retail Industry Award
Hair and Beauty Industry Award
Horse and Greyhound Training Award
Hospitality Industry (General) Award
Live Performance Award
Mannequins and Models Award
Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award
Nursery Award
Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award
Racing Clubs Events Award
Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award
Registered and Licensed Clubs Award
Restaurant Industry Award
Sporting Organisations Award
Travelling Shows Award
Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award
Wine Industry Award
If you currently pay above National Minimum Wage or Modern Award rates of pay are not obliged by this decision to increase their rates of pay, but you need to make sure that their rates remain equal to or higher than the applicable Award rates of pay, once the increase is applied.
If you have any Individual Flexibility Agreements, you will need to reassess those agreements to ensure employees remain “better off overall” when compared to the newly increased Modern Award rates.
If you pay any of your employees an annual salary, you will need to conduct an audit of those annualised salaries against the new Award rates and working patterns to ensure the annual salary compensates for award entitlements.
If you need help with checking you are paying your employees correctly, you can book in for a call:
