Employers and Modern Awards
Modern awards
From 1 January 2010 modern awards replace existing awards in most industries.
Modern awards are industry or occupation-based minimum employment standards which apply in addition to the NES.
Modern awards cover all employers and employees who perform work in those industries or occupations covered by a particular modern award. However, modern awards may not apply to some managers or higher income employees (who have an appropriate guarantee of annual earnings of more than $108,300 annually) even if a modern award covers the industry in which they work.
Modern awards contain terms and conditions about:
- minimum wages
- overtime and penalty rates
- types of employment
- work arrangements (eg. rosters, variation to working hours)
- hours of work
- rest breaks
- classifications
- allowances
- leave and leave loadings
- superannuation
- procedures for consultation, representation and dispute settlement.
Some modern awards also contain terms about redundancy