1.75% Increase To Minimum Wages
Jul 07, 2020
The Fair Work Commission announced a 1.75% increase to the national minimum wage, following its Annual Wage Review. The new national minimum wage for employees who are 21 years or over is $19.84 per hour or $24.80 for casual employees. For employees who are not covered by an award or agreement, this increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2020.
Employees covered by awards will also have base rates increased by 1.75%, but increases to awards will start on 3 different dates for different groups of awards.
When will the increases to award rates apply?
Most employees are covered by an award. If you are not sure which award applies to you, use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Find my award tool.
Pay increases apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2020 for Group 1 Awards including:
• Frontline health care and social assistance workers
• Teachers and child care
• Other essential services
Pay increases will apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 November 2020 for Group 2 Awards including:
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- A range of other industries
Many of you may be working in industries providing food services. Pay increases for food services will apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 February 2021 along with Group 3 Awards including:
- Accommodation and food services
- Arts and recreation services
- Aviation
- Retail
- Tourism
You can find your current minimum pay rate by using the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool or the downloadable Pay Guides.
Interaction with the JobKeeper payment
The new minimum wage also applies to any work an employee performs while they’re in the JobKeeper scheme, if they get their pay rate from an award or the national minimum wage. See the JobKeeper and the Annual Wage Review 2020 on the Fair Work Ombudsman’s JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme page for more information.
Got a question or want to stay up to date with changes to workplace laws?
To contact the Fair Work Ombudsman or get important news about pay rates and conditions you can:
- subscribe here to get email updates from the Fair Work Ombudsman
- register with My account to get updates that are tailored to you or to contact the Fair Work Ombudsman via email
- follow the Fair Work Ombudsman on Twitter or Facebook
- check the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website regularly
- call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 or the free translating and interpreting service on 13 14 50.