General Retail Industry Award pay rates 2026 (Australia)

Employers in the general retail industry throughout Australia and their employees in the classifications of Schedule A: retail sale or hire of goods or services such as clothing, food, furniture and household goods, personal and recreational goods, bakery shops that bake on site, repair of household equipment and newsagents’ deliveries (clause 4).

From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, after the Annual Wage Review (variation PR799285) (clause 17.1).

In the consolidated award published by the Fair Work Commission (MA000004); the Fair Work Ombudsman also publishes pay guides.

No. Award rates are minimums. An enterprise agreement or an employment contract can pay more, never less.

The weekly rate is for a full-time employee working 38 ordinary hours; the hourly rate is the weekly rate divided by 38 (clause 17.1).

Retail Employee Level 1: $1056.80 per week or $27.81 per hour.

Retail Employee Level 8 (for example, a shop manager of a shop with departments): $1291.80 per week or $33.99 per hour.

Yes. Unless it is unreasonable, an employee may refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from the employer, or work-related contact from a third party, outside working hours (clause 15A and section 333M of the Fair Work Act).

$1056.80 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $27.81 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: shop assistant, check-out operator, store worker, driver, loss prevention officer, store greeter (clause 17 and Schedule A).

$1081.00 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $28.45 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: forklift operator, ride-on equipment operator (clause 17 and Schedule A).

$1097.80 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $28.89 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: senior salesperson, second-in-charge of a department, machine operator, senior loss prevention officer (clause 17 and Schedule A).

$1119.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $29.45 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: assistant shop manager (shop without departments), qualified butcher, baker, pastry cook or florist, department manager or supervisor of up to 4 staff (clause 17 and Schedule A).

$1165.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $30.66 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: tradesperson in charge of other tradespersons, service supervisor (more than 15 employees) (clause 17 and Schedule A).

$1182.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $31.11 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: department or section manager with 5 or more employees, manager of a shop without departments (clause 17 and Schedule A).

$1241.40 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $32.67 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: visual merchandiser (Diploma), Clerical Officer Level 4 (clause 17 and Schedule A).

$1291.80 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $33.99 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: shop manager of a shop with departments or sections, Clerical Officer Level 5 (clause 17 and Schedule A).

25 % on top of the minimum hourly rate, paid instead of entitlements casuals do not receive (such as paid annual leave) (clause 11.1).

3 hours, or 1.5 hours for a full-time secondary school student working between 3:00 pm and 6:30 pm on a school day, with a parent’s or guardian’s approval, when a longer period is not possible (clauses 11.2 and 11.3).

At the end of each engagement, or weekly or fortnightly in line with the pay arrangements for full-time and part-time employees (clause 11.4).

Yes. The National Employment Standards provide a pathway to change from casual to full-time or part-time employment (sections 66A to 66MA of the Fair Work Act, referred to in clause 11.5).

$34.76 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $41.72 on Saturday, $48.67 on Sunday and $69.53 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$35.56 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $42.68 on Saturday, $49.79 on Sunday and $71.13 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$36.11 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $43.34 on Saturday, $50.56 on Sunday and $72.23 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$36.81 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $44.18 on Saturday, $51.54 on Sunday and $73.63 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$38.33 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $45.99 on Saturday, $53.66 on Sunday and $76.65 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$38.89 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $46.67 on Saturday, $54.44 on Sunday and $77.78 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$40.84 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $49.01 on Saturday, $57.17 on Sunday and $81.68 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$42.49 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (minimum rate plus the 25 % casual loading); $50.99 on Saturday, $59.48 on Sunday and $84.98 on public holidays (Schedule B).

125 % of the minimum hourly rate for full-time and part-time employees and 150 % for casuals (including the casual loading) (clause 22.1).

125 % for full-time and part-time employees and 150 % for casuals, for ordinary hours Monday to Friday after 6.00 pm (clause 22.1).

150 % for full-time and part-time employees and 175 % for casuals (clause 22.1).

225 % for full-time and part-time employees and 250 % for casuals (clause 22.1).

A full-time or part-time employee and the employer may agree to pay the ordinary rate plus an equivalent amount of paid time added to annual leave or taken off within 28 days; time not taken in 28 days must be paid out (clause 22.2).

$41.72 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $62.57 (225 %) (Schedule B).

$42.68 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $64.01 (225 %) (Schedule B).

$43.34 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $65.00 (225 %) (Schedule B).

$44.18 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $66.26 (225 %) (Schedule B).

$45.99 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $68.99 (225 %) (Schedule B).

$46.67 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $70.00 (225 %) (Schedule B).

$49.01 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $73.51 (225 %) (Schedule B).

$50.99 per hour (150 % of the minimum hourly rate). On a public holiday it is $76.48 (225 %) (Schedule B).

Monday to Friday 7.00 am to 9.00 pm, Saturday 7.00 am to 6.00 pm and Sunday 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, with exceptions for newsagencies (from 5.00 am), video shops (until midnight) and shops trading later (until 11.00 pm) (clauses 15.1 and 15.2).

Up to 9 hours, and up to 11 ordinary hours on one day per week (clauses 15.4 and 15.5).

By assessment in each establishment: 38 hours a week or averaged over 2, 3 or 4 weeks (or a longer agreed period), with options such as five days of 7 hours 36 minutes or a rostered day off (clause 15.6).

One 10-minute paid rest break (clause 16.2).

One 10-minute paid rest break and one unpaid meal break of 30 to 60 minutes (clause 16.2).

Two 10-minute paid rest breaks (one in each half of the shift) and one unpaid meal break of 30 to 60 minutes (clause 16.2).

Two 10-minute paid rest breaks and two unpaid meal breaks of 30 to 60 minutes (clause 16.2).

No paid rest break is required for shifts under 4 hours (clause 16.2).

For full-time and part-time employees: 150 % for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, 200 % after 3 hours, 200 % on Sunday and 250 % on public holidays. Casuals: 175 %, 225 %, 225 % and 275 % (Table 11, clause 21).

For hours over 38 a week (or averaged over the roster cycle), outside the span of ordinary hours, or over 11 hours on one day a week and 9 hours on any other day (clause 21.2).

Yes, if it is unreasonable, considering health and safety, personal and family circumstances, notice given and other factors (clause 21.1 and section 62 of the Fair Work Act).

Yes, if agreed in writing; the time off equals the overtime payment that would have been made (clause 21.3).

Someone engaged for fewer than 38 ordinary hours a week with reasonably predictable hours (clause 10.1).

In writing, a regular pattern of work with the guaranteed hours for each day and the start and finish times (clause 10.5).

3 consecutive hours (clause 10.9).

$41.72 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $55.62 after 3 hours, $55.62 on Sunday and $69.53 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

$42.68 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $56.90 after 3 hours, $56.90 on Sunday and $71.13 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

$43.34 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $57.78 after 3 hours, $57.78 on Sunday and $72.23 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

$44.18 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $58.90 after 3 hours, $58.90 on Sunday and $73.63 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

$45.99 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $61.32 after 3 hours, $61.32 on Sunday and $76.65 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

$46.67 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $62.22 after 3 hours, $62.22 on Sunday and $77.78 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

$49.01 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $65.34 after 3 hours, $65.34 on Sunday and $81.68 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

$50.99 per hour for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, $67.98 after 3 hours, $67.98 on Sunday and $84.98 on public holidays (Schedule B and clause 21).

Yes, annual leave and personal/carer’s leave on a proportionate basis (clause 10.4).

4 weeks of paid annual leave a year for full-time employees and a pro rata amount for part-time employees, under the National Employment Standards (section 87 of the Fair Work Act and clause 28).

Full-time employees get 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave a year and part-time employees a pro rata amount (section 96 of the Fair Work Act). Casuals are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carer’s leave per occasion.

Full-time and part-time employees who would normally work on that day are paid their base rate for their ordinary hours (section 116 of the Fair Work Act).

From 1 week (up to 1 year of service) to 4 weeks (more than 5 years), plus 1 week if the employee is over 45 with at least 2 years of service (section 117 of the Fair Work Act).

Juniors at levels 1 to 3 receive a percentage of the adult rate: 45 % under 16, 50 % at 16, 60 % at 17, 70 % at 18, 80 % at 19, 90 % at 20 with 6 months or less with the employer, and 100 % at 20 with more than 6 months (clause 17.2).

50 % of the Level 1 adult rate: $13.91 per hour for ordinary hours (official junior rates are in Schedule B).

70 % of the Level 1 adult rate: $19.47 per hour for ordinary hours (Schedule B).

No, only to Retail Employee Levels 1, 2 and 3 (clause 17.2).