Pay

In most workplaces how much people are paid is now governed by modern awards. Some modern award pay rates commenced on 1 July 2010 and some are being phased in over a period of four years. For more details about modern awards and how they are being phased in, see the Awards section of this site.

In this section

Finding the right pay

Check this section if you’re looking for wages. This section gives an introduction to the tools and resources we have to help you find minimum pay rates, penalty rates, allowances, loading and overtime rates for a range of jobs.

PayCheck Plus

PayCheck Plus enables you to calculate base pay rates, allowances, overtime, and penalty rates of pay per hour. You can also calculate pay rates for entire shifts worked over a seven day period. You can print, export or save your selections.

Pay Rates Calculator

The Pay Rates Calculator helps you work out base pay rates and penalty rates for employees who were covered by transitional awards before 1 January 2010.

Pay & Conditions Guides

Want an easy-to-read summary of the wages and conditions that apply from 1 July 2010? You can find all this and more in the Pay and Conditions Guide for your modern and pre-modern award. You can print a copy to keep in your workplace. For employers and employees.

National minimum wage

The national minimum wage acts as a safety net for employees in the national workplace relations system to provide minimum rates of pay for employees not covered by awards or agreements. You can read more about it here.

Pay slips

Every employee must be given a pay slip within one working day of each pay day. Find out what information must be on your pay slips and when employers are allowed to make deductions from employees’ pay.

Pay, penalty rates, overtime and allowances

An employee’s minimum pay can be made up of different entitlements including base pay rates, loadings, penalty rates, overtime and allowances. This page explains the differences between them and how to find out what applies to you or your employees.

Classification translation principles

These principles provide guidance on how previous individual employee classifications translate into modern award classification structures.

Apprentice & trainee pay

Apprenticeship and traineeship wages may vary from industry to industry and generally increase with each year of the employee’s training. Get details here

Student placement & unpaid work

Find out what to look out for when it comes to internships, work experience and other types of unpaid work.

Permitted deductions

Certain conditions need to apply for an employer to make deductions from an employee’s wages. Find out what they are.

Pay Scale summaries 2006 - 2009

Modern awards replaced Pay Scales for most workers from 1 January 2010 (although in many cases transitional arrangements allow the modern award rates to be phased in from the first pay period on or after 1 July 2010). If your work is not covered by a modern award, a Pay Scale might still apply to you. This section explains Pay Scales and what they include.

Superannuation

Most employees in the national workplace relations system are entitled to superannuation. This section outlines who is eligible and what you can do if you’re not getting super.