Minimum Wage and the Award
30 June 2010.
Fair Work Australia has increased the minimum wage by $26 per week based on a 38 hour week.
This increase is effective from 1 July 2010.
Whilst Growers are no doubt accustomed to yearly increases, the big difference this time is that all employees must be engaged at a certain Level and paid at least the minimum applicable to that Level. These Levels apply regardless of whether a Grower has an Enterprise Agreement or not.
The minimum rates applicable to each Level are set out below. The descriptions for each Level are too lengthy to reproduce here but can be found in Schedule B of the Horticulture Award http://www.fwa.gov.au/documents/modern_awards/word/MA000028.doc .
Growers should prepare a list of all their employees and assign the applicable Level to each employee. Growers should then check that they are paying their employees at least this minimum.
Where Growers face significant increases in wages they can investigate the "transitional" provisions in the Horticulture Award that allow wages to be slowly increased over the next 4 years.
Adult employee minimum wages
The classifications and minimum wages for an adult employee are set out in the following table:
Classification Minimum weekly wage Minimum hourly wage
Level 1 569.90 15.00
Level 2 586.50 15.43
Level 3 603.20 15.87
Level 4 626.10 16.48
Level 5 663.60 17.46
(b) For the purposes of clause (a), any entitlement to a minimum wage expressed to be by the week means any entitlement which an employee would receive for performing 38 hours of work
For further detailed information please contact the Australian Government’s Fair Work Australia on
free call 1300 799 675 or access their website www.fwa.gov.au
MRH Lawyers. Contact: Michael Waters. Phone: 07 4154 5500. Email: info@mrh.com.au
