The award that sets the minimum pay rates, penalty rates, and conditions for retail workers across Australia. Here's what it means for casual employees.
How we've interpreted the award. This page explains the rules as implemented in the Casual Pay calculation engine. The General Retail Industry Award is complex and our interpretation may not be correct in every scenario. Always verify your entitlements with the Fair Work Ombudsman or a qualified adviser.
The General Retail Industry Award 2020 (MA000004) is a modern award made by the Fair Work Commission. It sets legally enforceable minimum pay rates and conditions for employees working in general retail across all states and territories in Australia.
The award covers supermarkets, department stores, clothing stores, hardware stores, pharmacies, and most other general retail outlets. It does not cover all retail — fast food, hospitality, and some specialist retail industries have their own separate awards.
Award minimum wages are reviewed annually by the Fair Work Commission, typically taking effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July each year. Casual Pay uses the rates effective from 1 July 2025.
The award covers employers in the general retail industry and their employees — the retail sale or hire of goods or services for personal, household or business use.
The award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees placed with an organisation in the retail industry.
Some industries look like retail but fall under different awards. If you work in any of the following, this award — and this tool — may not apply to you.
Not sure which award applies? Use the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool.
Because casual employees don't receive paid leave entitlements (annual leave, sick leave, etc.), the award compensates by adding a 25% loading on top of the base rate.
The casual loading is already built into every penalty rate shown in this tool — it is never added twice.
Penalty rates are expressed as a percentage of the employee's base minimum hourly rate. The casual loading is included in each percentage below.
Public holiday rates apply on gazetted public holidays for the state or territory where you work. Each state has different public holidays — Casual Pay applies the correct ones automatically.
Three separate tests apply. Any hour caught by any one of them is overtime — the same hour is never counted twice.
Hours worked outside the ordinary span are overtime regardless of daily or weekly totals. The spans are: Mon–Fri 7 am – 9 pm, Sat 7 am – 6 pm, Sun 9 am – 6 pm.
An employer may roster up to 11 ordinary hours on one day per week (cl 15.5). All other days are capped at 9 ordinary hours (cl 15.4). Hours beyond those daily caps are overtime.
Hours beyond 38 ordinary hours in the working week are overtime. The week runs from your employer's designated work week start day. Only ordinary hours count toward this total — hours already caught by the span or daily tests do not.
Your classification level is determined by the duties you perform and your skills — not just your job title. If you're unsure of your level, check with your employer or the Fair Work Ombudsman.
These descriptions are simplified summaries. The full classification criteria are in Schedule B of the award.
Employees under 21 are paid a percentage of the adult rate at the same classification level. The percentages below are applied before penalty loadings.
Casual Pay applies junior rates automatically when you select your age bracket. Penalty rates and overtime still apply on top of the junior base rate.
The award sets out when breaks must be provided and whether they are paid.
A 30–60 minute unpaid meal break is required after no more than 5 hours of continuous work. This break is deducted from paid hours.
The Casual Pay engine uses 60 minutes as the default meal break duration.
A 10-minute paid rest break is provided for each 4-hour block worked. These are counted in your paid hours and do not reduce your pay.
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