As we approach the start of November, we remind members of the requirement to review the wage rates you are paying your employees.
You may recall that the Annual Wage Review decision was handed down by the Fair Work Commission’s Expert Panel on 19 June 2020.
Due to the impact of COVID-19 and government efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, the Fair Work Commission decided that there were exceptional circumstances to justify deferring the wage increases in certain industries. As a result, the 1.75% increase to the minimum rates in the Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020, the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award 2020, and the Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020 will operate from 1 November 2020 rather than the usual 1 July 2020.
If you pay award rates you will need to increase the pay rates for your employees from the first full pay period on or after 1 November 2020.
Even where you pay above award wages, you should review your pay rates against the new award wages to ensure you are still paying at or above the minimum rates of pay.
If your business has an enterprise agreement you will need to make sure that the base rate of pay under the enterprise agreement is not less than the base rate of pay that would be payable under the modern award.
The new rates for the road transport and clerks awards are set out below, with some of the allowances yet to be confirmed as they are based on forthcoming indices. As stated, these rates apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 November 2020.
Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020
| Classification Levels |
Minimum weekly rate |
Minimum hourly rate |
|
$ |
$ |
|
| Grade 1 |
798.30 |
21.01 |
| Grade 2 |
818.40 |
21.54 |
| Grade 3 |
828.40 |
21.80 |
| Grade 4 |
843.70 |
22.20 |
| Grade 5 |
854.30 |
22.48 |
| Grade 6 |
864.10 |
22.74 |
| Grade 7 |
876.70 |
23.07 |
| Grade 8 |
902.10 |
23.74 |
| Grade 9 |
917.30 |
24.14 |
| Grade 10 |
940.00 |
24.74 |
The weekly rates above are gross based on a 38 hour week
| Clause 19.3(f) – Dangerous Goods (bulk) | 19.63 | per day |
| Dangerous Goods (packaged) | 8.20 | per day |
| Clause 19.5(a) – Travelling allowance | To be confirmed | |
| Clause 19.5(f) – Meal allowance (required to work overtime for 2 continuous hours or more) | To be confirmed |
Road Transport (long Distance Operations) Award 2020
| Classification Levels |
Minimum weekly rate |
Hourly rate (paid leave) |
Cents per kilometre rate |
Hourly driving |
Load/unload hourly rate |
|
$ |
$ |
₵ |
$ |
$ |
|
| Grade 1 |
Grades 1 and 2 are not applicable to this award. |
||||
| Grade 2 | |||||
| Grade 3 |
828.40 |
21.80 |
43.08 |
32.31 |
26.92 |
| Grade 4 |
843.70 |
22.20 |
43.87 |
32.90 |
27.42 |
| Grade 5 |
854.30 |
22.48 |
44.42 |
33.32 |
27.77 |
| Grade 6 |
864.10 |
22.74 |
44.93 |
33.70 |
28.08 |
| Grade 7 |
876.70 |
23.07 |
45.59 |
34.19 |
28.50 |
| Grade 8 |
902.10 |
23.74 |
46.91 |
35.18 |
29.32 |
| Grade 9 |
917.30 |
24.14 |
47.70 |
35.77 |
29.81 |
| Grade 10 |
940.00 |
24.74 |
48.88 |
36.66 |
30.55 |
The weekly rates above are gross based on a 38 hour week
| Clause 18.2(c)(i) -Temporary transfer of duties—local driver (under terms of Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020) | 10.71 | per occasion |
| Clause 19.2(d) – Dangerous Goods (bulk) | 19.62 | per day |
| Dangerous Goods (packaged) | 8.21 | per day |
| Clause 18.3(c) – Travelling allowance | To be confirmed |
Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020
| Classification Levels |
Minimum weekly rate |
Minimum hourly rate |
|
$ |
$ |
|
| Level 1—Year 1 |
801.40 |
21.09 |
| Level 1—Year 2 |
841.10 |
22.13 |
| Level 1—Year 3 |
867.30 |
22.82 |
| Level 2—Year 1 |
877.60 |
23.09 |
| Level 2—Year 2 |
893.90 |
23.52 |
| Level 3 |
926.90 |
24.39 |
| Call centre principal customer contact specialist |
933.50 |
24.57 |
| Level 4 |
973.40 |
25.62 |
| Level 5 |
1012.90 |
26.66 |
| Call centre technical associate |
1109.60 |
29.20 |
