From 1 January 2010, modern awards have covered most workplaces and replace most pre-modern awards (except enterprise awards, applying to a single enterprise).
Employees with disability who are covered by a modern award will often have their pay rates and conditions specified in their modern award.
Transitional arrangements in most modern awards mean that some monetary entitlements (including minimum wages) did not commence until the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2010. These arrangements give employers and employees time to adjust to the changes by allowing new pay rates to be phased in over a period of four years until the full modern award rates apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2014. In this period minimum rates are determined by reference to the employee’s pre-modern award entitlements as well as the relevant modern award entitlements.
Employees with disability who are not covered by a modern award may continue to be covered by their pre-modern award, or a special national minimum wage.