Award Changes From 1 January 2025

Employees covered by one of the following awards will have new rules for the ‘introductory classifications’ from 1 January 2025:

Airline Ground Staff Award
Amusement Award
Animal and Veterinary Services Award
Australian Government Award
Dry Cleaning and Laundry Award
Fitness Award
Food and Beverage Manufacturing Award
Funeral Award
Graphic Arts and Printing Award
Joinery Award
Live Performance Award
Manufacturing Award
Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award
Meat Award
Pest Control Award
Port Authorities Award
Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award
Timber Award
Travelling Shows Award
Vehicle Award

Some awards currently contain pay rates that are less than the National Minimum Wage. These are usually pay rates that apply to an introductory classification or entry-level job.

From 1 January introductory classifications in affected awards can only apply for the first stage of a job, that is an initial induction period, time spent undertaking training or enough time to gain the basic skills and experience required for the job.

All employment classifications that aren’t introductory classifications must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.

The new maximum time limit for introductory level classifications varies between awards but is never longer than 6 months.

What do I need to do?

If you have employees covered by one of these awards, ensure you are adhering to the new requirements regarding introductory classifications so you do not find yourself in an underpayment of wages scenario. Need help? Get in touch and speak with one of our HR experts.