Professional Employees Award [MA000065]

This page is a summary of who the Professional Award covers and doesn’t cover. Find a copy of the award at Professional Award.

Learn how to calculate pay rates and check entitlements from Find pay rates and entitlements.

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Who the Professional Award covers

The Professional Award covers employers mainly engaged in the information technology, medical research, quality auditing or telecommunications services industries and their employees who fit within the classifications of the award.

Employees are also covered if they perform professional engineering and scientific duties, unless another award with a more appropriate classification covers their employer.

The information technology industry means:

  • designing and manufacturing computers, peripherals and software, and telecommunications equipment
  • installing, repairing and maintaining computer systems
  • computer consultancy services
  • computer programming
  • system analysis services
  • designing, developing and maintaining online internet architecture and facilitating online content management, or
  • work associated with any of the above.

The medical research industry means not-for-profit organisations mainly involved in basic, applied, translational or clinical research operating for the primary purpose of the cure, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease.

The quality auditing industry means providing advice, auditing and assessment services to companies seeking compliance with the International Standards Organisations quality standards.

The telecommunications services industry means:

  • supplying, installing or maintaining telecommunications services, including value add services
  • work associated with supplying, installing or maintaining telecommunications services, or
  • installing and maintaining telecommunications equipment and line.

Professional engineering and professional scientific duties means duties that generally require a formal academic qualification or equivalent experience.

Examples of employees covered by the Professional Award:

  • degree-qualified engineers, scientists and information technology employees
  • information technology employees who have sufficient qualifications and experience to become a Certified Professional of the Australian Computer Society
  • engineers and scientists who have sufficient qualifications or experience to become a member of a professional body, such as Engineers Australia or Royal Australian Chemical Institute
  • medical research employees who have sufficient qualifications and experience in medical research
  • quality auditors who have sufficient qualifications or experience in auditing.

The Professional Award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees who work in the above industries or occupations.

Check the award for full information on who is covered and the classification descriptions.

Source reference: Professional Award [MA000065] clauses 2, 4 and schedule A

Who the Professional Award doesn’t cover

The following employers and employees are not covered by the Professional Award:

  • an employee principally in a managerial position
  • information technology employees who don’t have formal academic qualifications or sufficient experience to be a Certified Professional of the Australian Computer Society
  • engineers who don’t have formal academic qualifications or sufficient experience to be a member of Engineers Australia
  • scientists who don’t have formal academic qualifications and don’t qualify for membership in one of their professional bodies
  • medical researchers who work for health services or higher education organisations as defined in the award
  • quality auditors who don’t satisfy the educational and experience requirements set out in the award
  • local government employees covered by another award
  • employees who mainly do clerical and administrative work.

The Professional Award doesn’t cover employers and employees when they are covered by one of the following awards:

  • Airport Award
  • Black Coal Award
  • Electrical Power Award
  • Nurses Award
  • Port Authorities Award
  • Rail Award
  • State Government Agencies Award
  • Water Award.

Check the award for full information on coverage and classifications.

Source reference: Professional Award [MA000065] clauses 2, 4 and schedule A

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