Modern awards
From 1 January 2010, modern awards cover most workplaces. Modern awards establish one set of minimum conditions for employers and employees across Australia who work in the same industries and occupations.
The commencement of modern awards means that there have been changes to minimum terms and conditions for many employees. The changes vary by state, industry and employer.
Transitional arrangements in most modern awards mean that some pay rates (including loadings and penalties) did not commence until 1 July 2010. These arrangements give employers and employees time to adjust to the changes in pay rates.
The transitional provisions include a phasing schedule which allows wages, loadings and penalty rates which are higher or lower than pre-existing conditions to be progressively introduced over 4 years. Where there was no existing loading or penalty applying under the existing instrument then the new loading or penalty in the modern award is also progressively introduced.
This means that pay rates for many employees changed on 1 July 2010. To calculate pay rates, you will need to refer to the pre-modern award that used to cover you before 1 January 2010 as well as the relevant modern award.
To help determine the correct modern award, employers and employees should:
- Check the name of the modern award
- Check the coverage clause
- Check the classification clause
To find your modern award you can use the tools on this site, like Award Finder. If you know the name of the award, you can also search alphabetically.