The complete guide to Australian award rates in 2025

Australian award rates can be confusing for business owners. With over 120 modern awards, varying penalty rates, annual increases, and complex classification structures, supporting compliance efforts requires ongoing attention and a solid understanding of the system. Using award interpretation software can help automate these calculations and reduce errors. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about award rates in 2025, including the latest minimum wage, how penalty rates work, classification levels, and practical tips for managing payroll compliance.

Whether you're running a café, managing an aged care facility, or operating a retail store, understanding your award obligations is essential. Getting it wrong can result in underpayment claims, back-pay orders, and penalties from the Fair Work Ombudsman. Getting it right means happy staff, smooth payroll, and peace of mind.

What are modern awards?

Modern awards are legal documents that set out the minimum pay rates and conditions for employees in a particular industry or occupation. They were introduced as part of the Fair Work system in 2010 to simplify and standardise workplace conditions across Australia. Today, they form a crucial part of the employment safety net, working alongside the National Employment Standards (NES) to protect workers' minimum entitlements.

There are over 120 modern awards in Australia, each covering different industries or occupations. The most common awards that small businesses deal with include the Hospitality Industry Award, Restaurant Industry Award, Fast Food Industry Award, General Retail Industry Award, and various healthcare awards like the Aged Care Award, Nurses Award, and SCHADS Award for disability support workers.

Each award specifies minimum pay rates for different classification levels, penalty rates for weekend and public holiday work, overtime rates, allowances for things like uniforms or travel, and conditions around breaks, rosters, and termination. Using rostering software that integrates with payroll systems helps support compliance with these requirements. As an employer, you're legally required to pay at least the minimum rates specified in the relevant award—though you can always pay more if you choose.

Understanding the 2025-26 minimum wage increase

The Fair Work Commission conducts an Annual Wage Review each year to assess whether the national minimum wage and award rates should be adjusted. This review considers factors like the cost of living, economic conditions, and the needs of low-paid workers. The decision typically takes effect from 1 July each year.

From 1 July 2025, the national minimum wage increased by 3.5% to $24.95 per hour, which works out to $948.00 per week for a full-time employee working 38 ordinary hours. This increase applied to the national minimum wage as well as minimum rates in most modern awards.

However, it's important to note that not all award rates increased by the same percentage or on the same date. Some awards have different operative dates for wage increases, particularly in industries that were significantly affected by economic changes. Always check the specific award that applies to your employees to confirm when increases took effect and by how much.

How penalty rates work

Penalty rates are additional payments made to employees who work outside ordinary hours or on days that are traditionally considered rest days. The purpose of penalty rates is to compensate workers for the inconvenience and social cost of working unsociable hours, and to discourage employers from rostering staff at these times unless genuinely necessary.

The most common penalty rates apply for:

• Saturday work: Typically attracts penalty rates ranging from 125% to 150% of the base rate, depending on the award. Some awards distinguish between casual and permanent employees, with casuals receiving their loading on top of the penalty rate.
• Sunday work: Usually attracts higher penalties than Saturday, commonly 150% to 200% of the base rate. Sunday rates have been a point of significant debate and reform in recent years, particularly in hospitality and retail.
• Public holidays: Generally the highest penalty rates, usually 200% to 250% of the base rate. Employees may also be entitled to a substitute day off if they work on a public holiday, depending on their award and employment type.
• Overtime: When employees work beyond their ordinary hours, they're typically entitled to time and a half (150%) for the first 2-3 hours of overtime, then double time (200%) thereafter. The specific thresholds vary by award.
• Late night and early morning work: Some awards include additional penalties for shifts that fall outside standard daytime hours, such as work after 10pm or before 6am. These are sometimes called "unsociable hours" loadings.

Calculating penalty rates correctly is one of the most error-prone areas of payroll. Different rates apply to different days, different employment types, and different hours of the day. A single shift that spans midnight on a Saturday going into Sunday can involve multiple different rates. This is where rostering software with built-in award interpretation becomes invaluable.

Classification levels explained

Each modern award defines classification levels that determine an employee's minimum pay rate. These classifications are designed to reflect the different types of work performed within an industry, the level of responsibility involved, and the experience or qualifications required. Correctly classifying your employees is essential—getting it wrong is one of the most common causes of underpayment.

For example, the Hospitality Industry Award has seven classification levels. Level 1 covers introductory-level employees in their first three months, performing basic tasks under direct supervision. Level 2 covers food and beverage attendants grade 1, kitchen attendants grade 1, and similar entry-level roles. As you move up the levels, the work becomes more complex, requires more skill or experience, and commands higher pay rates. Level 6 and 7 cover supervisory and managerial positions.

When classifying an employee, you should consider the actual work they perform on a day-to-day basis, not just their job title. An employee with the title "Team Leader" who doesn't actually supervise anyone shouldn't be classified at a supervisory level. Conversely, someone performing skilled work that matches a higher classification should be paid at that level, even if their job title doesn't reflect it.

It's also important to review classifications when an employee's role changes. If someone is promoted, takes on new responsibilities, or gains new qualifications, their classification—and therefore their pay rate—may need to be updated.

Casual loading vs permanent employment

One of the most significant distinctions in Australian employment law is between casual and permanent (full-time or part-time) employees. Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate in most awards, but they don't receive paid leave entitlements like annual leave, personal/carer's leave, or paid public holidays that permanent employees enjoy.

The casual loading is designed to compensate for this lack of leave entitlements and the irregular nature of casual work. However, it's important to understand that casual employment isn't just about the loading—it's about the nature of the employment relationship. True casual employment is characterised by irregular hours, no advance commitment to ongoing work, and the ability for either party to end the arrangement without notice.

In recent years, there have been significant legal cases around "casual conversion"—the right of long-term casuals to convert to permanent employment. Under the Fair Work Act, casual employees who have been employed for 12 months and worked a regular pattern of hours for at least the last 6 months have the right to request conversion to permanent employment. Employers must either accept the request or provide valid reasons for refusal.

When calculating whether casual or permanent employment is more cost-effective for your business, you need to consider the total employment cost, not just the hourly rate. Permanent employees accrue leave entitlements (typically 4 weeks annual leave and 2 weeks personal leave per year), receive paid public holidays, and may be entitled to redundancy pay. When you factor in these costs, the gap between casual and permanent employment narrows significantly.

Common allowances you need to know

Beyond base rates and penalty rates, most awards include provisions for various allowances. These are additional payments made to employees in specific circumstances, and failing to pay them is a common source of underpayment claims.

How to check which award applies

Determining the correct award isn't always straightforward. The award that applies to an employee depends on the industry their employer operates in and the type of work the employee performs. Some businesses may be covered by multiple awards if they have employees performing different types of work.

Here's a step-by-step approach to checking award coverage:

1. Use Fair Work's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT): This free online tool at calculate.fairwork.gov.au walks you through a series of questions to help identify the correct award for your employees. It's the best starting point for most businesses.
2. Consider your business's primary purpose: Awards typically apply based on the main activity of the business. A hotel that also has a restaurant would likely fall under the Hospitality Award rather than the Restaurant Award because accommodation is the primary business.
3. Review the coverage clause: Every award has a coverage clause that specifies which employers and employees it applies to. Read this clause carefully to understand if your business and your employees' roles are covered.
4. Consider occupation-based awards: Some employees may be covered by an occupation-based award rather than an industry award. For example, clerical employees might be covered by the Clerks—Private Sector Award regardless of what industry the business operates in.
5. Seek professional advice if unsure: If you're still uncertain after using PACT and reviewing award coverage clauses, it's worth getting advice from Fair Work, an employer association, or an employment lawyer. The cost of advice is far less than the cost of getting it wrong.

Record keeping requirements

Under the Fair Work Act, employers are required to keep detailed records for all employees for at least seven years. These records must include the employee's name and start date, the award that applies, the classification level, the rate of pay, hours worked each day, overtime hours, leave taken and accrued, and superannuation contributions.

Good record keeping isn't just a legal requirement—it's your protection if a dispute ever arises. If an employee claims they were underpaid and you don't have records to prove otherwise, the burden of proof shifts to you as the employer. Courts and the Fair Work Ombudsman can draw adverse inferences from missing or inadequate records.

Modern rostering and payroll software makes record keeping much easier by automatically capturing hours worked, applying the correct rates, and storing records securely. This creates an audit trail that protects both you and your employees.

Supporting compliance efforts in 2025 and beyond

Award compliance isn't a one-time task—it requires ongoing attention as rates change annually, your team evolves, and the law itself is updated. The Fair Work system has seen significant changes in recent years, including reforms to casual employment, increased penalties for wage theft, and the criminalisation of deliberate underpayment.

The best approach is to build compliance into your regular business processes. Use rostering software that calculates award rates automatically rather than relying on manual calculations. Review employee classifications whenever roles change or annually as part of your regular HR processes. Stay informed about annual wage reviews and update your pay rates promptly when increases take effect.

Consider conducting regular self-audits of your payroll to identify and correct any errors before they become significant. Many businesses have discovered underpayments through proactive audits and have been able to rectify them quickly, avoiding the larger penalties and reputational damage that come with complaints or investigations.

Finally, create a culture of transparency around pay. Provide employees with clear pay slips that show how their pay is calculated, including base rates, penalty rates, and any allowances. When employees understand how they're being paid, they're more likely to spot errors early and raise them directly with you rather than escalating to external bodies.

By understanding the basics of how awards work, using the right tools, and maintaining good processes, you can pay your staff correctly while avoiding costly compliance mistakes. Your employees deserve to be paid fairly for their work, and getting it right benefits everyone.