Penalty Rates Calculator Australia

Penalty rates are extra pay on top of an employee's ordinary hourly rate for working unsociable hours — evenings, nights, Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and overtime. They're set by the relevant Fair Work modern award (or enterprise agreement) as a multiplier of the ordinary rate, e.g. 150% for a Sunday.

Yes, in most of the awards on this page — the 25% casual loading and the Saturday/Sunday/public holiday penalty both apply, added together on top of the base rate (e.g. 100% base + 25% casual + 25% Saturday = 150%). The exception is overtime in several awards (Hospitality, Restaurant, Security Services, Pharmacy, Fitness, Local Government, and both public holiday AND overtime in the Miscellaneous Award), where casual employees are paid the same rate as full-time/part-time employees, with no extra casual loading on top. A few awards (Nurses, Manufacturing, Real Estate) instead calculate the casual rate as the full-time multiplier × 1.25, which works out slightly higher than a simple +25-percentage-point addition. The Fitness Award is unique in this set — it publishes a single blended casual rate for Saturday, Sunday AND public holiday alike, rather than three separate day-specific rates. Check the notes on each award's own page for the exact interaction.

This calculator applies the award's PERCENTAGE multipliers to whatever base hourly rate you enter — it does not look up your specific classification's minimum dollar rate for you. Check your exact classification and base rate on the Fair Work pay guide for your award, then enter that rate here.

Enterprise agreements can set different penalty rates to the award, as long as employees are better off overall (the Better Off Overall Test). If your workplace has an enterprise agreement, check it directly — this calculator applies the modern AWARD's minimum rates only.

23 of the highest-demand modern awards: Hospitality Industry (General) Award [MA000009], General Retail Industry Award [MA000004], Restaurant Industry Award [MA000119], Fast Food Industry Award [MA000003], Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award [MA000100], Children's Services Award [MA000120], Clerks — Private Sector Award [MA000002], Nurses Award [MA000034], Aged Care Award [MA000018], Health Professionals and Support Services Award [MA000027], Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award [MA000010], Cleaning Services Award [MA000022], Security Services Industry Award [MA000016], Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award [MA000089], Miscellaneous Award [MA000104], Pharmacy Industry Award [MA000012], Hair and Beauty Industry Award [MA000005], Fitness Industry Award [MA000094], Horticulture Award [MA000028], Real Estate Industry Award [MA000106], Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award [MA000076], Banking, Finance and Insurance Award [MA000019], and the Local Government Industry Award [MA000112]. More awards may be added over time.

Classification wage tables change at every 1 July Annual Wage Review and vary by dozens of classifications per award — keeping a full wage table current is a maintenance trap. Penalty rate MULTIPLIERS, by contrast, are stable award terms that rarely change outside a full award variation, so this calculator focuses on those and lets you supply your own base rate.