How do I work out pay and leave levels?

If you are employing casual or part-time employees, you will need to contact Fair Work and get advice on what awards will apply to your industry and subsequent pay rates. There are also specific rules for calculating overtime and penalty rates.

The Fair Work website uses calculators and an awards-finder to help employers find what specific awards they need to use when calculating pay.

The new modern awards structure also contain “individual flexibility provisions”, which enable employers and employees to reach agreements on varying some aspects of the awards, although these are specific and you will need to contact Fair Work on how these will apply to you.

As for leave, the National Employment Standards dictate all employees, except casuals, will receive paid annual leave based on their level of work. Usually an employee is entitled to four weeks annual leave for each year of service, with some shift workers receiving five weeks.

However, this doesn’t apply to casuals, and shift workers receiving five weeks will need to satisfy a number of conditions, including working in an industry where shifts are continuously rostered 24 hours a day for seven days a week.

The employer must pay annual leave at the employee’s base rate of pay during their leave.