Award changes
Awards are regularly updated by the Fair Work Commission (the Commission).
The Commission is the national workplace relations tribunal and registered organisations regulator.
Learn more about changes to awards.
On this page:
- Major award changes
- Annual Wage Review
- Modern Awards Review
- 4 yearly reviews
- Keep up to date
- Tools and resources
- Related information
Major award changes
A major change to an award can include changing entitlements, responsibilities and conditions for employers and employees covered by an award.
Some significant award updates are highlighted on our Major award changes page.
More information about the full list of awards and changes can be found on the Commission’s Awards page.
Annual Wage Review
Every year, the Commission reviews the National Minimum Wage and minimum rates of pay in modern awards to decide if they should be increased. This is the Annual Wage Review (AWR).
The AWR usually happens between March and June. Any changes generally come into effect on 1 July.
For information about the changes to minimum wages, visit our Annual Wage Review page.
For more information about the review process, visit the Commission’s Annual Wage Reviews page.
Modern Awards Review
The Commission can be requested to review Modern Awards by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.
The Commission is currently reviewing 4 priority topics as part of the Modern Awards Review 2023-24:
- Arts and Culture Sector
- Job Security
- Work and Care
- Making awards easier to use
For more information, visit the Commission's Modern Awards Review 2023-24 page.
4 yearly reviews
Before 2018, the Commission was required to review all modern awards every 4 years. The 4 yearly review commenced on 1 January 2014. This review is now in its final stages.
The 4 yearly reviews have resulted in common changes across many awards and specific changes to individual awards.
For more information about the 4 yearly review process, visit the Commission’s 4 yearly review page.
Keep up to date
We’ll continue to keep you informed about important workplace changes that affect you.
Subscribe to email updates to keep updated and to receive alerts from us – it only takes a few moments to sign up.
You can also follow us on social media for other announcements and reminders:
