Apprentices and trainees get the same minimum conditions as other employees, such as annual leave, personal leave and public holidays. All of the conditions in the Retail Award usually apply to your apprentices and trainees in the same way as they apply to your other employees Check the relevant clause to make sure it doesn’t apply otherwise.
The rate of pay will depend on whether your employee is undertaking an apprenticeship or a traineeship.
Apprentices
Under the Retail Award, apprentices receive a percentage of the Retail Employee Level 4 rate. An apprentice’s rate of pay will increase as they progress through their apprenticeship.
You can use PayCheck Plus to help to calculate minimum wages, allowances and penalty rates for your apprentices.
Trainees
You can use the Retail Trainee Wage Calculator to help you find minimum rates of pay for your trainees.
The trainee calculators provide rates of pay for the most common trainee scenarios. However, you shouldn’t use the calculators if:
- the business was previously covered by a Transitional Award, a Division 2B State award, or the Queensland Order - Apprentices' and Trainees' Wages and Conditions
- the trainee is doing a school-based traineeship
- the trainee is doing a certificate 4 qualification.
If you are not sure whether the calculators apply to you, please Contact us.
Note: If an employee is not undertaking a recognised apprenticeship or traineeship, they must be paid at the relevant adult or junior rate. This also applies if they haven’t been properly signed up as an apprentice or trainee.
Best Practice Tip
Encourage your apprentice or trainee to keep a simple work diary to help them keep track of their shifts and pay. For each shift, they should record:
- the day and date
- starting and finishing times
- any leave taken
- meal breaks
- the name of their supervisor.