Local Government Industry Award pay rates & rules 2025/2026 (Australia)

Quick summary (for time-poor managers)

If you only skim one section, make it this:

Confirm the Award actually applies to your employer and your employees:

• Check you're in the national Fair Work system (this is a major trap for local government).
• Confirm MA000112 coverage and note key exclusions (CEO, nurses, doctors, early childhood teachers (university qualified), local government associations; plus employees on enterprise instruments).

For each employee you must get four things right:

• 1️⃣ Employment type (full-time/part-time/casual) – and record it.
• 2️⃣ Classification level (Level 1–11) – and you must advise the employee in writing of their level and changes.
• 3️⃣ Minimum base rate for ordinary hours (Levels 1–11).
• 4️⃣ When they work (span of hours, weekends, public holidays, overtime, on-call/call-back).

The "high underpayment risk" areas in this Award tend to be:

• Part-time agreements in writing, minimum shift, and overtime beyond agreed hours.
• Casual rules: 25% loading, penalties/overtime calculated on base exclusive of loading, and 2-hour minimum engagement.
• Weekday penalty outside span, weekend penalties (including special rule for recreation/community services), and overtime.
• On-call, call-back, remote response and sleepover settings.
• Allowances (first aid, leading hand, on-call, meal allowance, vehicle allowance) and correctly showing them on payslips.

"Most searched" questions about MA000112

Based on what people most commonly look up when dealing with this Award, these are the topics you should have clearly documented internally (and this guide includes sections for each):

• "Does the Local Government Award apply to my council in my state?" → See "Are you in the national Fair Work system?"
• "What are the pay rates for Level 1–11?" → See "2025/2026 minimum pay rates"
• "How do I classify someone (Level 3 vs Level 4 etc)?" → See "Classifications" and the requirement to advise levels in writing
• "What's the casual loading and minimum shift?" → Casual loading is 25%; penalties and overtime are calculated on the minimum hourly rate exclusive of loading; minimum engagement is 2 consecutive hours
• "Do part-timers need agreed hours in writing?" → Yes — see "Employment types"
• "What are the weekend penalties? What about recreation centres?" → See "Penalty rates" with special rule for recreation/community services
• "What are overtime rates and can we do TOIL?" → See "Overtime, TOIL, call-back"
• "On-call allowance / call-back / remote response — how do we pay it?" → See "On-call and remote response"
• "Annual leave loading — does it apply?" → Yes: 17.5% — see "Leave entitlements"
• "Right to disconnect" and "workplace delegates rights" — what changed?" → Both appear in this Award — see "Right to disconnect" and "Workplace delegates"

What this Award is

The Local Government Industry Award 2020 [MA000112] is a modern award setting minimum pay rates and conditions for employees covered by it. It also sits alongside the National Employment Standards (NES).

Think of it as the minimum "floor" you can't go below (unless an applicable enterprise agreement provides different terms and meets legal requirements). The Award includes:

• Minimum pay rates by classification level (1–11)
• Rules for full-time, part-time and casual employment (including what must be agreed in writing)
• Ordinary hours, rostering and breaks
• Penalty rates, overtime, on-call/call-back and TOIL
• Allowances and reimbursements
• Leave supplements such as annual leave loading

Are you in the national Fair Work system? (the big gotcha)

Before you do any rate calculations: check whether your local government employer is covered by the national Fair Work system.

If you're not in the national system, you'll need to use the relevant state industrial instrument instead of MA000112.

Who the Award covers (and who it excludes)

Coverage in plain terms

The Award covers employers throughout Australia in the "local government industry" and their employees in Schedule A classifications, to the exclusion of other modern awards.

"Local government industry" includes activities undertaken by local government entities, including activities undertaken by corporations controlled by one or more local government entities (with "control" defined in the Award).

Key exclusions (commonly missed)

This Award does not cover:

• The chief executive officer of a local government entity (however described)
• Nurses under the Nurses Award 2020, doctors under the Medical Practitioners Award 2020, and university-qualified early childhood teachers under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020
• Local government associations and their employees
• Employees covered by a modern enterprise award or an enterprise instrument

2025/2026 minimum pay rates (ordinary hours)

These are the adult minimum rates for ordinary hours (clause 16.1). Use Schedule B for a summary including overtime and penalty rates.

Source: clause 16.1 of the Local Government Industry Award 2020.

💡 Click any rate to copy it to your clipboard.

Juniors and apprentices

Junior rates (percentage of adult rate)

Junior employees are paid a percentage of the applicable minimum rate for their classification:

• Under 17: 55%
• 17 years: 65%
• 18 years: 75%
• 19 years: 85%
• 20 years: 95%

Apprentices (high-level note)

The Award sets apprentice wages differently depending on when the apprenticeship started and year level (often as a % of the Level 4 rate), and includes additional rules such as minimum pay for adult apprentices and training-related provisions.

If you employ apprentices: use the Award text and the current pay guide—don't guess.

Classifications (Levels 1–11) and why they matter

All employees covered must be classified according to Schedule A classification definitions.

Two high-compliance points:

• Employers must advise employees in writing of their level on commencement and of any subsequent changes.
• The employer determines the level based on the skill level(s) required to carry out the principal functions.

Practical approach:

1. Identify the core duties and responsibility band (operator/admin/supervisory/managerial)
2. Match to Schedule A level descriptors (don't rely on job titles)
3. Record the final classification in the contract and payroll system, and update when duties change

Employment types (full-time, part-time, casual)

At engagement: you must state the terms

At the time of engagement, the employer must inform each employee whether they are full-time, part-time or casual, and record the decision in the time and wages record.

Part-time: writing is not optional

• At engagement, the employer and part-time employee must agree in writing on a regular pattern of work (hours per day, days per week, and where practicable start/finish times). Variations must be recorded in writing.
• Minimum shift length for part-time: at least one hour on any shift.
• If a part-time employee is directed to work beyond agreed hours, those extra hours are overtime.

Casual: loading, penalties and minimum engagement

• Casual employees get a 25% casual loading in addition to the minimum hourly rate (and in addition to shift/weekend rates on the same basis as a weekly employee).
• Penalties (including public holidays) and overtime are calculated on the minimum hourly rate exclusive of the casual loading.
• Minimum engagement: casual must be engaged and paid for at least 2 consecutive hours each occasion they attend.
• Pathway to change casual employment status is provided for in the NES.

Ordinary hours, rostering & meal breaks

Ordinary hours and roster cycles

Ordinary hours are 38 per week. For full-time employees, ordinary hours are averaged over a 28-day period (excluding unpaid meal breaks).

Spans of hours (when you can roster "ordinary" hours)

The Award sets different spans depending on the role/work area. The default span is 6:00am–6:00pm Monday–Friday, but there are broader spans for certain roles (including spans that can include weekends).

Maximum ordinary hours in a day are 10, but can be increased to 12 by agreement under the facilitative provision.

Rosters and notice

Rosters must be notified at least 7 days in advance, and changes require at least 7 days notice (unless mutually agreed). Rostered days off should not be changed without at least 2 weeks' notice where practicable.

Meal breaks

Employees can't be required to work more than 5 hours without an unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes (or by agreement, 20 minutes). If an employee is required to work during their meal break, they are paid 150% for the time worked until released for the meal break.

Penalty rates (weekday / weekend)

Weekday penalty (outside span)

Ordinary hours worked Monday–Friday outside the applicable span are paid at 120% of the minimum hourly rate for the hours outside the span.

Weekend penalties (general rule)

For employees (other than recreation centres/community services) working Saturday/Sunday in the relevant roles/work areas, ordinary hours are paid at:

• 150% Saturday
• 175% Sunday

Overtime, TOIL, call-back, on-call & sleepovers

Overtime (core rates)

Except as otherwise provided:

• 150% of minimum hourly rate for the first 2 hours
• 200% after that
• Overtime worked from 12 noon Saturday and all day Sunday is paid at 200%

For casuals, the casual loading is not paid on overtime hours.

TOIL (time off instead of payment for overtime)

You can agree (in writing) for time off instead of being paid for a particular amount of overtime, with specific requirements and record-keeping. Time off must be taken within 6 months or the overtime must be paid out.

Rest periods after overtime

Where practicable, employees should have at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between work on successive days, with specific rules if they do not get the 10 hours.

Call-back (common query for works/after-hours teams)

If an employee is recalled to work overtime after leaving the worksite without prior notice, they are on call-back and must be paid a minimum of 3 hours at the appropriate overtime rate each time recalled, with additional rules for timing and travel.

On-call and remote response

• On-call means directed to be available outside ordinary hours and able to be contacted and immediately respond.
• On-call allowance may be payable (see allowance amounts below).
• If called out, the employee is paid at overtime rates for the time required to attend work, with actual time applying from leaving home.
• For remote response, the employee must maintain a timesheet and total overtime for all remote responding in a day is rounded up to the nearest 15 minutes (from the first remote response).

Sleepover allowance (community services context)

A community services employee required to be present at the workplace for a sleepover shift is paid $14.06 per hour plus the on-call allowance, with detailed rules about when call-outs attract overtime and minimum payments.

Allowances & reimbursements

These are set in the Award (clause 19) and summarised in Schedule C.

Key monetary allowances (2025 rates)

Community/home care travel

There are specific provisions about reimbursement of travel expenses between service points and being paid at the appropriate rate during travel time between first and successive service points in a day for home care contexts.

Leave entitlements (and annual leave loading)

Annual leave is provided in the NES; the Award supplements the NES.

Shiftworkers (for NES annual leave purposes)

For the purpose of the NES, a shiftworker is an employee who works a roster that may cover any of the 7 days over the roster cycle and is regularly rostered on Sundays and public holidays.

Annual leave loading (very commonly searched)

Annual leave loading is 17.5% calculated on the employee's minimum weekly rate, in addition to annual leave pay, with payment options and a cap.

Public holidays & RDO interactions

Working on a public holiday

Employees required to work on a public holiday are paid 250% of the minimum hourly rate for actual hours worked.

(For casuals, remember penalties are calculated on base exclusive of loading.)

Substituting a public holiday by agreement

A public holiday may be substituted by agreement (with notice requirements and conditions).

Public holiday on an RDO

If a public holiday falls on an employee's rostered day off:

• If they are not required to work, they are entitled to an extra day off (or added to annual leave).
• If they are required to work, they are paid public holiday rates and also receive another day off (or added to annual leave).

Right to disconnect (now commonly searched)

This Award includes a right to disconnect clause.

An employee may refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact (or attempted contact) outside working hours unless the refusal is unreasonable, with factors set out in the Award (reason for contact, disruption, compensation such as on-call, nature of role, personal circumstances, etc.).

Workplace delegates rights (now commonly searched)

The Award includes detailed workplace delegate provisions, including:

• Access to certain workplace facilities (where available and practical) to represent eligible employees.
• Unless the employer is a small business employer, access to paid time for training (up to 5 days initial training and at least 1 day each subsequent year) subject to conditions.

("Small business employer" has the meaning in the Fair Work Act as referenced in the Award definitions.)

Step-by-step compliance plan (practical)

1. Confirm the right system and instrument

Confirm national system coverage (or state system), then confirm whether MA000112 applies or an enterprise agreement applies.

2. Classify every employee

Assign Level 1–11 based on Schedule A, and provide written advice of level and changes.

3. Confirm employment type and documentation

Record full-time/part-time/casual at engagement. For part-time: keep the written pattern of work and written variations.

4. Set base rates (ordinary hours)

Use clause 16.1 minimum rates for the classification.

5. Configure penalties, overtime and after-hours rules

Spans, weekday penalties, weekend penalties (including recreation/community special rule). Overtime and TOIL agreements. Call-back and on-call/remote response arrangements.

6. Add allowances and reimbursements

Build allowance triggers (first aid, leading hand, on-call, meal, vehicle, etc.). Make sure payslips separately identify allowances.

7. Leave settings

Annual leave loading (17.5%) and shiftworker definition where relevant.

8. Update and audit

Re-check the Award consolidation and pay guides when rates vary (often around 1 July).

Common mistakes (seen often in audits)

• Using MA000112 when you're not in the national system (especially WA/NSW/SA/QLD local government).
• Not issuing written classification level advice, or letting duties drift without updating levels.
• Part-time agreements missing or informal, leading to mis-identified overtime.
• Casual minimum engagement missed (2-hour minimum) or casual penalties/overtime miscalculated.
• Recreation centre weekend penalty exception misunderstood (5am–10pm ordinary hours rule).
• On-call/call-back confusion (allowance vs overtime vs minimum payments; remote response rounding and record keeping).
• Allowances paid but not itemised on payslips.

Sources (official references used)

• Fair Work Ombudsman: Local Government Industry Award 2020 [MA000112] (Fair Work Commission consolidated award incorporating amendments up to and including 1 July 2025)
• Fair Work Ombudsman: Fair Work system – who is covered (national system coverage including local government coverage differences by State/Territory; WA local government state system from 1 Jan 2023)
• Fair Work Ombudsman: PACT (Pay and Conditions Tool) (tool may not include all award entitlements; seek advice if needed)
• Fair Work Commission: MA000112 Award text (clauses and schedules referenced throughout)
• Fair Work Ombudsman: Right to disconnect overview (plain-language guidance)

For official guidance, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.