Norfolk Island reform

Get set for a minimum wage increase

The Fair Work Commission has announced an increase to the National Minimum Wage and minimum award wages. 

For more information, go to Get set for a minimum wage increase.

Norfolk Island employees are part of the Fair Work system and are covered by the Fair Work Act 2009 and other related laws.

On this page:

Norfolk Island began transitioning to Australia's national workplace relations system (also known as the Fair Work system) in July 2016. The transition ended on 1 July 2018.

What are Norfolk Island employees entitled to?

Under the Fair Work system, Norfolk Island employees are entitled to:

  • pay rates and conditions outlined in an award (if one applies)
  • the national minimum wage (if no award applies)
  • other entitlements, such as the National Employment Standards.

Awards

Awards can cover Norfolk Island employees. Awards set out wages and conditions including minimum pay rates, overtime and penalty rates for industries or occupations. Use our Find my award tool to help you figure out which award covers you.

You can use our Pay Calculator to calculate the minimum pay rates, penalties and allowances in your award.

Junior employees (employees under 21) get a percentage of the relevant adult award pay rate. To calculate junior rates, use our Pay Calculator and select the:

  • award
  • classification level
  • relevant age.

Find out more about Junior pay rates.

Apprentices and trainees get the relevant apprentice or trainee wage as outlined in their award. To calculate apprentice or trainee rates, use our Pay Calculator and select the:

  • award
  • yes to being a trainee or apprentice.

Find out more about Apprentice and trainee pay rates.

Employees with reduced work capacity because of disability usually get a percentage of the minimum pay rate for their classification under an award. For more information about employees with disability, see Employees with disability pay rates.

If no award applies

Most employees are covered by an award, but a few jobs and industries aren't.

Employees that aren't covered by an award are entitled to the national minimum wage. The national minimum wage for a full-time adult employee is $812.60 per week or $21.38 per hour.

Visit our Award and agreement free wages and conditions page for more information about what applies to award free employees.

Other entitlements

Like all Fair Work system employees, Norfolk Island employees are entitled to:

  • the National Employment Standards (NES). The NES are 11 minimum employment entitlements. They include things like sick leave, annual leave and public holiday entitlements for employees. Find out more about the NES.
  • extra pay for casual employees. Casual employees get a casual loading on top of the equivalent full-time or part-time pay rate, to make up for not getting other entitlements such as sick leave and annual leave. Find out more about Casual employees.
  • a pay slip within 1 working day of pay day. Find out more about Pay slips and record-keeping requirements and use our templates and guides to help you get started.

Public holidays

The following public holidays apply:

  • New Year's Day
  • Australia Day
  • Foundation Day
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday
  • ANZAC Day
  • Bounty Day
  • Queen's Birthday
  • Show Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day.  

To check public holiday dates for Norfolk Island, visit the Norfolk Island government website.

For more information about working and not working on a public holiday, visit our Public holiday penalty rates and Not working on public holidays pages.

Ending employment

Use our Notice and Redundancy Calculator to work out notice and redundancy entitlements. Only continuous service after 1 July 2016 is counted for:

  • notice
  • redundancy pay, unless the employee had an entitlement to redundancy pay before 1 July 2016.

Since 1 July 2016, employees have been able to apply for unfair dismissal if they've worked for more than 6 months, or 12 months if they were employed by a small business (a business with less than 15 employees).

Tax and superannuation

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) gives advice and information about tax requirements and super guarantee contributions.

The super guarantee is transitioning for Norfolk Island employees, which means the entitlement will increase each year until it reaches the same percentage as the general super guarantee. See the ATO's Super guarantee percentage table for the percentage increments.

For more information about the superannuation guarantee, contact the ATO on 13 10 20 or visit the ATO website.

For questions about your tax contact the ATO on 13 28 61 or visit the ATO website.

Understanding the Fair Work system

If you're on Norfolk Island, there are some basics you need to know. Find out more about:

Norfolk Island laws

Contracts, agreements and determinations made under the following laws stopped applying from 1 July 2018:

  • Norfolk Island Employment Act 1988
  • Norfolk Island Public Service Act 2014
  • Norfolk Island Public Sector Remuneration Tribunal Act 1992.

Pay and entitlements before 1 July 2018

For information about what Norfolk Island employees were entitled to between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2018, read Norfolk Island 2016 – June 2018 in our Library.

Need more help?

We're here to help with your transition to the Fair Work system. For help with pay rates or more information on how the Fair Work system affects you, call us. The cost of the call from Norfolk Island will be the price of a local call. You can also email us at norfolkislandenquiries@fwo.gov.au.

Related information