How to find an enterprise agreement
A step-by-step guide to searching the Fair Work Commission database for the enterprise agreement (EBA) that covers your workplace — and how it works alongside modern awards and payroll.
Written by
Georgia Morgan
This guide provides general information about finding and applying enterprise agreements under Australian workplace law. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
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Key takeaways
- Registered enterprise agreements are searchable for free in the Fair Work Commission's public "Find an Agreement" database
- Search by employer or trading name — the database is national, so it covers NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA and every other state and territory
- Confirm the agreement actually covers your role and check its nominal expiry date — an expired agreement keeps operating until it is replaced or terminated
- An enterprise agreement replaces the modern award for covered employees but must pass the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT), and the National Employment Standards always apply
What is an enterprise agreement?
An enterprise agreement (often called an EBA) is a collective agreement negotiated between an employer and its employees that sets pay and conditions for a specific workplace. Approved agreements are held on a single national register by the Fair Work Commission, so finding one is usually a quick, free search.
Agreements replace the relevant modern award for covered employees, but must leave them better off overall (the BOOT). If no registered agreement covers your role, the modern award applies instead. For the full definition, types and bargaining process, see our enterprise agreement glossary entry.
5 steps to find an enterprise agreement
Start with the Fair Work Commission "Find an Agreement" database.
Confirm whether an agreement applies to you
Enterprise agreements cover specific employers or workplaces — not whole industries. Check first before searching.
Tips:
- Check your employment contract, letter of engagement or onboarding pack — it should name the agreement if one applies
- Ask your employer, payroll team or HR who covers your role
- If no registered agreement applies, the relevant modern award sets your minimum pay and conditions
- Members can also ask their union, which negotiates and tracks current agreements
Open the Fair Work Commission "Find an Agreement" database
The FWC maintains the official, free public register of every approved enterprise agreement in Australia.
Tips:
- Go to the Fair Work Commission's Find an Agreement database (fwc.gov.au)
- It is the authoritative source — not third-party sites or old PDFs
- The register is national, so there is no separate "NSW" or state database to search
- Access is free and no login is required to search
Search by employer or business name
Enter the legal entity or trading name of the employer to bring up matching agreements.
Tips:
- Try both the trading name and the registered legal/company name
- Filter or sort by status — you want an agreement that is "approved" and in operation
- Large employers may have several agreements for different sites, roles or years
- If nothing appears, the workplace may be award-covered rather than agreement-covered
Confirm the agreement covers your role
Open the agreement and check its coverage clause, classifications and expiry so you rely on the right document.
Tips:
- Read the coverage/application clause to confirm it covers your work and location
- Match your duties to a classification level to find the correct pay rate
- Check the nominal expiry date — an expired agreement still operates until replaced or terminated
- Make sure you are reading the current version, not a superseded one
Check it beats the award and apply it in payroll
An agreement replaces the modern award for covered employees, but must leave them better off overall (the BOOT).
Tips:
- The agreement sets pay, penalties, overtime and leave in place of the award
- It must have passed the Better Off Overall Test against the relevant award to be approved
- The National Employment Standards apply alongside every agreement
- Configure your payroll or rostering software to apply the agreement's rates and rules
How an agreement changes what you're paid
Once you've found the agreement, here's how it interacts with the modern award.
It replaces the award
For covered employees, the agreement's pay rates, penalties, overtime and leave apply instead of the modern award.
But must beat it (BOOT)
It can only be approved if employees are better off overall than under the award — so the award stays relevant as the comparison point.
Key considerations
Expired doesn't mean gone
An agreement past its nominal expiry date usually keeps operating until it is replaced or terminated. Check the expiry date and status, but don't assume an "expired" agreement no longer applies.
Use the registered version
Always rely on the version held by the Fair Work Commission, not an unofficial PDF or a superseded copy. Large employers often have several agreements — make sure you're reading the one that covers your role and site.
Get advice when bargaining
If an agreement is being negotiated or is up for renewal, employees can seek advice from their union and employers from an employer association. Fair Work also explains the process on its about agreements page.
Official sources
This guide is aligned with official Australian workplace resources.
How RosterElf helps with agreement and award compliance
Purpose-built tools to make agreement and award compliance faster, easier, and compliant for Australian businesses.
Related guides
More resources for agreement and award compliance.
Run your agreement or award on autopilot
RosterElf can be configured to apply your enterprise agreement or modern award rates automatically — accurate pay, fewer errors, straight to Xero and MYOB.
Frequently asked questions
- Use the Fair Work Commission's free public "Find an Agreement" database at fwc.gov.au. Search by the employer's trading or legal name, then open the matching agreement to confirm it covers your role and is still in operation. For the full walkthrough, follow the five steps above.
- No. Enterprise agreements are registered federally with the Fair Work Commission, so a single national database covers NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and NT. Searching the FWC "Find an Agreement" register returns agreements for employers in every state and territory.
- The full text of every approved agreement is available to download for free from the Fair Work Commission database. You can also request a copy from your employer or, if you are a member, your union. Always rely on the registered FWC version rather than an unofficial or outdated PDF.
- If no registered agreement appears, your workplace is most likely covered by a modern award instead. Use the award to work out your minimum pay and conditions, and check our award rate guides for common industries.