The national minimum wage has increased today to $20.33 per hour (up from $19.84) or $772.60 per week (up from $753.80).
This increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after today.
Employees covered by awards will also have base rates increased by 2.5%, however, these increases to award wages begin on different dates for different groups of awards. See below for details.
Casual employees that the national minimum wage applies to must receive a minimum $25.41 per hour including their 25% casual loading.
Who does the increase apply to?
The increase applies to anyone who is paid minimum award wages or the national minimum wage.
Most employees are covered by an award. If you’re not sure which award applies, BetterHR can help.
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Login to your BetterHR subscription. Go to: Advice > ‘Modern Award Coverage Enquiry Form’. Submit the form and our experts will confirm in-writing which award applies.
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Contact us to discuss your HR needs. Or use our online form to: REQUEST A CALLBACK
Covered by a registered agreement?
If you’re covered by a registered agreement, you should check it to see whether this increase affects you.
For anyone not covered by an award or an agreement, the new national minimum wage is $772.60 per week or $20.33 per hour.
If you need help to interpret a registered agreement BetterHR can help.
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Login to your BetterHR subscription. Go to: Advice > ‘General HR Advice Online Enquiry Form’. Submit the form and our experts will help with written advice by email. Or call our HR Advice Hotline if you prefer verbal advice by phone.
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Contact us to discuss your HR needs. Or use our online form to: REQUEST A CALLBACK
When does the increase start?
The new national minimum wage applies from your first full pay period on or after 1 July 2021. This means if you have a weekly pay period that starts on Mondays, the new rates apply from Monday 5 July 2021.
There’s also an increase to the Super guarantee for all eligible employees from 1 July 2021.
The award increase is happening in 3 stages.
The increase doesn’t affect employees who already get paid more than their new minimum wage.
Most awards increased from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2021.
Awards increasing on 1 September or 1 November 2021
For awards increasing later in the year, we’ll provide more information about the new rates closer to their start date in our subscriber newsletter.
All subscribers receive our monthly newsletter with important updates on Australian HR and employment law matters: Plans & Pricing.
1 September 2021 award increase
The increase for the Retail Award applies from the first full pay period on or after 1 September 2021.
1 November 2021 award increase
21 awards increase from the first full pay period on or after 1 November 2021. The awards that will increase from 1 November 2021 are:
- Pilots Award
- Cabin Crew Award
- Airline Ground Staff Award
- Airport Award
- Alpine Resorts Award
- Amusement Award
- Dry Cleaning and Laundry Award
- Fitness Award
- Hair and Beauty Award
- Hospitality Award
- Live Performance Award
- Models Award
- Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award
- Nursery Award
- Racing Clubs Events Award
- Racing Ground Maintenance Award
- Registered Clubs Award
- Restaurant Award
- Sporting Organisations Award
- Travelling Shows Award
- Wine Award
Increase to the Super guarantee
From 1 July 2021, the superannuation guarantee increased to 10% for eligible employees.
The Australian Taxation Office gives information and advice on superannuation. Learn more about the changes at Australian Taxation Office – Super guarantee rate rising 1 July external-icon.png.
Other award updates starting on 1 July
As part of their modern award review process, the FWC has also updated some terms and conditions of several awards. These changes apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2021.
Changes to spread of hours in some awards
On 16 June 2021, the FWC handed down a decision clarifying how the spread of hours can be changed in several awards. Under these awards, employers and their employees can make an agreement to shift the entire spread of hours either back or forward by up to an hour.
The decision affects the:
- Airline Ground Staff Award
- Aquaculture Award
- Business Equipment Award
- Clerks Award
- Contract Call Centres Award
- Food and Beverage Manufacturing Award
- Manufacturing Award
- Pharmaceutical Award
- Seafood Award
- Storage and Wholesale Award
- Sugar Award.
We’ve updated our hours of work information on our website to reflect the changes in the following popular awards:
Changes to part-time hours in the Retail Award
On 28 June 2021, the Fair Work Commission handed down a decision to vary the provisions for part-time hours of work in the Retail Award.
The decision affects hours and the application of overtime. It includes but is not limited to:
- introducing the term ‘guaranteed hours’ which means the number of hours agreed to be worked each particular day of the wee
- allowing an employee and employer to agree to vary guaranteed hours in writing (including electronically such as text message or email), enabling extra hours to be worked at ordinary rates if agreed in advance
- clarification that overtime still applies for work done in excess of the guaranteed hours
- a provision for part-time employees to request an increase to their guaranteed hours in some circumstances.
These changes will take effect from the first full pay period that starts on or after 1 July 2021.
Health Services Award coverage changes
On 24 November 2020, the Fair Work Commission also handed down a decision to clarify the coverage of the Health Services Award.
The decision clarifies that the coverage of the Health Services Award:
- doesn’t include medical practitioners
- includes dental hygienists, dental prosthetists and oral health therapists
- can include a wide variety of health professionals and that the list of occupations in Schedule B is an indicative list.
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