Restaurant Industry Award

Employment Status Overview

Full-time

Average hours/week

38 hours

Position
           

Ongoing employment

Notice of termination

Receive

Paid Annual Leave

Receive

Paid Sick
Leave 

Receive

Paid Carer's Leave

Receive

Paid annual leave, paid sick leave and paid carers leave accumulate based on ordinary hours of work. Select the topic Leave and the relevant employment type for more information about leave entitlements.

Part-time

Average Hours/week

Minimum 8 and < 38 hours

Position

Ongoing employment

Notice of termination

Receive

Paid Annual Leave

Receive

Paid Sick
Leave

Receive

Paid Carer's Leave

Receive

Paid annual leave, paid sick leave and paid carers leave accumulate based on ordinary hours of work. Select the topic Leave and the relevant employment type for more information about leave entitlements.

Part-time employees must have a written agreement that includes:

  • the number of hours the employee is guaranteed to be given each week or, where the employer operates a roster, the number of hours the employee is guaranteed in each roster cycle (the guaranteed hours)
  • the days and the time the employee is available to work (the employee's availability).

If the employee and employer agree to an increase in guaranteed hours, this change must be recorded in writing before it is implemented.

Employers can roster part-time employees for their guaranteed hours and any additional hours during their availability. These are the employee’s rostered hours. 

Casual

Average Hours/week

Often irregular

Position

Can access a pathway to change to full-time, or part-time employment, in some circumstances

Notice of termination

N/A

Paid Annual Leave

N/A

Paid Sick
Leave

N/A

Paid Carer's Leave

N/A

From 26 August, an employee is only a casual if there isn’t a firm advance commitment to ongoing work, taking into account a number of factors, including the real substance, practical reality and true nature of the employment relationship. They’re also entitled to receive a casual loading or specific casual pay rate.

For more information about casual employment and what entitlements they receive visit our Casual employees page.

Pay overview

Full-time Level Age

Employees must be paid for all hours they work. This includes time spent opening and closing the business, staff meetings and training.

Wages must be paid weekly or fortnightly, on any day except Friday, Saturday or Sunday. If employees agree, they can be paid monthly.

Juniors who sell or serve alcohol, including as a part of their general waiting duties, have to be paid the adult rate for their classification regardless of their age.

Hourly rate

Minimum per hour

$Hourly pay rate

Penalty rates

Evening
10pm - midnight

$Hourly pay rate + $Late night - Monday to Friday - 10pm to midnight*

Early morning
Midnight - 6am

$Hourly pay rate + $Early morning - Monday to Friday - midnight to 6am*

Saturday work

$Saturday

Sunday work

$Sunday

Public holidays

$Public holiday
CHRISTMAS DAY ON WEEKEND - IF NOT PUBLIC HOLIDAY **
$Christmas Day - Saturday

Employees get paid a higher pay rate when they work evenings, weekends or public holidays.

* Base rate per hour plus this additional amount per hour or part of an hour.

** Employees must also be given a substitute day off.

Overtime

Weekday – First 2 hours

$Overtime - Monday to Friday - first 2 hours

Weekday - After 2 hours

$Overtime - Monday to Friday - after 2 hours

Saturday - first 2 hours

$Overtime - Saturday - first 2 hours

Saturday - after 2 hours

$Overtime - Saturday - after 2 hours

Sunday

$Overtime - Sunday

RDO

$Overtime - RDO

Employees receive overtime rates whenever they work (one of the following):

  • outside of their rostered hours
  • more than 38 hours avg. a week over 4 weeks
  • more than 11.5 hours in a day (if under 18, more than 10 hours in a day)
  • if more than 3 x 10 hour days in a row without a 48 hour break immediately afterwards
  • more than 8 days of 10 hours in a 4 week roster
  • a broken shift that spans over more than 12 hours.

Employees who work overtime have to get a minimum break of 8 hours between finishing work on one day and starting work the next day.

 

Annualised wage arrangements (previously known as annualised salaries): An employer and employee can agree in writing that the employee is paid an annualised wage that is at least 25% above the employee’s weekly minimum award wage, as an alternative to calculating and paying an employee’s wages based on their hours worked in each pay period.

The Restaurant Award has rules about how these arrangements are set and agreed to, recorded, and reconciled. Employers can use our employer's guide to annualised wage arrangements in the hospitality and restaurant industries  employer's guide to annualised wage arrangements in the hospitality and restaurant industries

See clause 20 of the Restaurant Award for more information.

 

Pay overview

Part-time Level Age

Employees must be paid for all hours they work. This includes time spent opening and closing the business, staff meetings and training.

Wages must be paid weekly or fortnightly, on any day except Friday, Saturday or Sunday. If employees agree, they can be paid monthly.

Juniors who sell or serve alcohol, including as a part of their general waiting duties, have to be paid the adult rate for their classification regardless of their age.

Hourly rate

Minimum per hour

$Hourly pay rate

Penalty rates

Evening
10pm - midnight

$Hourly pay rate + $Late night - Monday to Friday - 10pm to midnight*

Early morning
Midnight - 6am

$Hourly pay rate + $Early morning - Monday to Friday - midnight to 6am*

Saturday work

$Saturday

Sunday work

$Sunday

Public holidays

$Public holiday
CHRISTMAS DAY ON WEEKEND - IF NOT PUBLIC HOLIDAY **
$Christmas Day - Saturday

Employees get paid a higher pay rate when they work evenings, weekends or public holidays.

* Base rate per hour plus this additional amount per hour or part of an hour.

** Employees must also be given a substitute day off.

Overtime

Weekday – First 2 hours

$Overtime - Monday to Friday - first 2 hours

Weekday - After 2 hours

$Overtime - Monday to Friday - after 2 hours

Saturday - first 2 hours

$Overtime - Saturday - first 2 hours

Saturday - after 2 hours

$Overtime - Saturday - after 2 hours

Sunday

$Overtime - Sunday

RDO

$Overtime - RDO

Employees receive overtime rates whenever they work (one of the following):

  • outside of their rostered hours
  • more than 11.5 hours in a day (if under 18, more than 10 hours in a day)
  • if more than 3 x 10 hour days in a row without a 48 hour break immediately afterwards
  • more than 8 days of 10 hours in a 4 week roster
  • a broken shift that spans over more than 12 hours.

Employees who work overtime have to get a minimum break of 8 hours between finishing work on one day and starting work the next day.

Pay overview

Casual Level Age

Employees must be paid for all hours they work. This includes time spent opening and closing the business, staff meetings and training.

Casuals must be paid at the end of each occasion they attend work, or they can be paid weekly or fortnightly if they agree.

Juniors who sell or serve alcohol, including as a part of their general waiting duties, have to be paid the adult rate for their classification regardless of their age.

Hourly rate

Minimum per hour

$Hourly pay rate

Penalty rates

Evening
10pm - midnight

$Hourly pay rate + $Late night - Monday to Friday - 10pm to midnight*

Early morning
Midnight - 6am

$Hourly pay rate + $Early morning - Monday to Friday - midnight to 6am*

Saturday work

$Saturday

Sunday work

$Sunday

Public holidays

$Public holiday

Employees get paid a higher pay rate when they work evenings, weekends or public holidays.

*Base rate per hour plus this additional amount per hour or part of an hour

Overtime

Weekday – First 2 hours

$Overtime - Monday to Friday - first 2 hours

Weekday - After 2 hours

$Overtime - Monday to Friday - after 2 hours

Saturday - first 2 hours

$Overtime - Saturday - first 2 hours

Saturday - after 2 hours

$Overtime - Saturday - after 2 hours

Sunday

$Overtime - Sunday

Employees receive overtime rates whenever they work (one of the following):

  • more than 12 hours in a day (or shift)
  • more than an average of 38 hours over a 4 week roster cycle.

Employees who work overtime have to get a minimum break of 8 hours between finishing work on one day and starting work the next day.

Pay

Introductory Level

Food and beverage

Kitchen

Administrative and general

Stores

Security

Handyperson

Hours of work

Ordinary hours

WORK HOURS

38hrs avg / week*

11.5 hrs max / day (if under 18, 10hrs max/day) 

8 days of 10hrs*

BROKEN SHIFT

12 hour span

MINIMUM ENGAGEMENT

6 hrs in a day

Check the Award external-icon.png for different minimum daily hours that apply on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

* in 4 week roster cycle.

OVERTIME

Employees receive overtime rates whenever they work (one of the following):

outside of their rostered hours

more than 38 hrs avg./week over 4 weeks

more than 11.5 hrs/day (if under 18, more than 10 hrs/day)

if more than 3 x 10 hour days in a row without a 48 hour break immediately afterwards

more than 8 days of 10 hours in a 4 week roster

a broken shift that spans over more than 12 hours.

Employees who work overtime have to get a minimum break of 8 hours between finishing work on one day and starting work the next day.

BREAKS

An employee gets the following number of breaks, depending on the hours they actually work (not their rostered hours).

Hours worked

Rest break (paid)

Meal break (unpaid)

Less than 5

No break

No break

5 or more hours - 10 hours

No break

1 x minimum 30 min break
Over 10 hours2 x 20 min break1 x minimum 30 min break
  • If the unpaid meal break is scheduled more than 5 hours after starting, employees get an extra paid 20 minute meal break. This break needs to be taken after an employee has worked at least 2 hours, but less than 5 hours.
  • An employee is entitled to an additional 20 minute paid rest break if they’re required to work more than 5 continuous hours after an unpaid meal break.
  • If an employee takes a break of more than 60 minutes this is considered as a broken work day. The employee will get a split shift allowance.

Check the Award external-icon.png for information about extra or longer breaks in certain situations.

Hours of work

Ordinary hours

WORK HOURS

their rostered ordinary hours

11.5 hrs max/day (if under 18, 10 hrs max/day)

8 days of 10 hrs in 4 wk roster cycle

BROKEN SHIFT

12 hour span

MINIMUM ENGAGEMENT

3 hours in a day

Check the Award external-icon.png for different minimum daily hours that apply on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

OVERTIME

Employees receive overtime rates whenever they work (one of the following):

outside of their rostered hours

more than 11.5 hrs/day (if under 18, more than 10 hrs/day)

if more than 3 x 10 hour days in a row without a 48 hour break immediately afterwards

more than 8 days of 10 hours in a 4 week roster

a broken shift that spans over more than 12 hours.

Employees who work overtime have to get a minimum break of 8 hours between finishing work on one day and starting work the next day.

BREAKS

An employee gets the following number of breaks, depending on the hours they actually work (not their rostered hours).

Hours worked

Rest break (paid)

Meal break (unpaid)

Less than 5

No break

No break

5 or more hours - 10 hours

No break

1 x minimum 30 min break
Over 10 hours2 x 20 min breaks1 x minimum 30 min break
  • If the unpaid meal break is scheduled more than 5 hours after starting, employees get an extra paid 20 minute meal break. This break needs to be taken after an employee has worked at least 2 hours, but less than 5 hours.
  • An employee is entitled to an additional 20 minute paid rest break if they’re required to work more than 5 continuous hours after an unpaid meal break.
  • If an employee takes a break of more than 60 minutes this is considered as a broken work day. The employee will get a split shift allowance.

Check the Award external-icon.png for information about extra or longer breaks in certain situations.

Hours of work

Ordinary hours

Work hours

max. 12 hrs/day or shift

38 hrs avg/week (in 4wk roster cycle)

MINIMUM ENGAGEMENT

2 hours in a row

Overtime

Employees receive overtime rates whenever they work (one of the following):

more than 12 hrs/day (or shift)

more than an average of 38 hours over a 4 week roster cycle.

Employees who work overtime have to get a minimum break of 8 hours between finishing work on one day and starting work the next day.

Breaks

An employee gets the following number of breaks, depending on the hours they actually work (not their rostered hours).

Hours worked

Rest break (paid)

Meal break (unpaid)

Less than 5

No break

No break

5 or more hours - 10 hours

No break

1 x minimum 30 min break
Over 10 hours2 x 20 min break1 x minimum 30 min break
  • If the unpaid meal break is scheduled more than 5 hours after starting, employees get an extra paid 20 minute meal break. This break needs to be taken after an employee has worked at least 2 hours, but less than 5 hours.
  • An employee is entitled to an additional 20 minute paid rest break if they’re required to work more than 5 continuous hours after an unpaid meal break.

Check the Award external-icon.png for information about extra or longer breaks in certain situations.

Allowances

Use our Pay and Conditions Tool opens new tab to determine what allowances will apply to your specific circumstances.

See Clause 21 of the Award opens new tab for the full conditions associated with each allowance.

Allowance

Allowances

Rate

Split shift$5.16 for each separate work period of 2 hours or more
Meal$16.31 for a meal
LaundryReimbursement of cost for special clothing
Waterproof or protective clothingReimbursement of cost
Special clothingReimbursement of the cost (coats, dresses, caps etc.)
Tool allowance - cooks and apprentice cooks$2.03 per day or part thereof (up to a max. $9.94/per week)
Tools and equipmentReimbursement of the cost (towels, tools, utensils and materials etc.)
Distant work
(travelling time) 
Payment at ordinary pay rates (to/from distant workplace)
Distant work
(80km or more of travel)
Payment for transport (to/from distant workplace)
Apprentice training fees/textbook costsReimbursement of cost (prescribed training fees and textbooks)
Apprentice travel to block release trainingReimbursement for the excess reasonable travel costs

Allowances

Use our Pay and Conditions Tool opens new tab to determine what allowances will apply to your specific circumstances.

See Clause 21 of the Award opens new tab for the full conditions associated with each allowance.

Allowance

Allowances

Rate

Split shift$5.16 for each separate work period of 2 hours or more
Meal$16.31 for a meal
LaundryReimbursement of cost for special clothing
Waterproof or protective clothingReimbursement of cost
Special clothingReimbursement of cost (coats, dresses, caps etc.)
Tool allowance - cooks and apprentice cooks$2.03 per day or part thereof (up to max. $9.94/per week)
Tools and equipmentReimbursement of the cost (towels, tools, utensils and materials etc.)
Distant work
(travelling time)
Payment at ordinary pay rates (to/from distant work)
Distant work
(80km or more of travel)
Payment of transport (to/from distant workplace)
Apprentice training fees/textbook costsReimbursement of cost (prescribed training fees and textbooks)
Apprentice travel to block release trainingReimbursement for the excess reasonable travel costs

Allowances

Use our Pay and Conditions Tool opens new tab to determine what allowances will apply to your specific circumstances.

See Clause 21 of the Award opens new tab for the full conditions associated with each allowance.

Allowance

Allowances

Rate

Meal$16.31 for a meal
LaundryReimbursement of cost for special clothing
Waterproof or protective clothingReimbursement of cost
Special clothingReimbursement of the cost (coats, dresses, caps etc.)
Tool allowance - cooks$2.03 per day or part thereof (up to max. $9.94/per week)
Tools and equipmentReimbursement of the cost (towels, tools, utensils and materials etc.)
Distant work
(travelling time) 
Payment at ordinary pay rates (to/from distant workplace)
Distant work
(80km or more of travel)
Payment for transport (to/from distant workplace)

Leave

Annual leave

Leave (Paid)

4 Weeks per year + LOADING

Shiftworkers* Leave (Paid)

5 Weeks per year + LOADING

Any unused annual leave will roll over from year to year

Annual leave loading = 17.5% of the employee’s base pay rate

* 7 day shiftworkers are employees who are:

  • employed in a business where shifts are continuous 24 hours a day for 7 days a week and are regularly rostered to work those shifts, and
  • regularly rostered to work on Sundays and public holidays.

To calculate leave amounts, use our Leave Calculator opens new tab

Sick/Carer's
leave

Sick/Carer's leave (Paid)

10 days each year*

Carer's leave (Unpaid)

2 Days per occasion**

*The balance at the end of each year carries over to the next year.

** Used any time an immediate family member or household member needs care and support due to illness, injury or an unexpected emergency.

Employees must use their paid sick/carer’s leave before they can take unpaid carer’s leave.

To calculate leave amounts, use our Leave Calculator opens new tab

Public Holidays

Leave (Paid)

receive

Paid time off when an ordinary work day falls on a public holiday.

Compassionate leave

Leave (Paid)

2 days

Compassionate leave can be taken when:

  • an immediate family or household member dies or suffers a life-threatening illness or injury
  • a child is stillborn where the child would have been a member of the employee’s immediate family or household, or
  • the employee, or the employee’s spouse or de facto partner, has a miscarriage.

FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE

Leave (Paid)

10 days each year

Find out about Paid family and domestic violence leave.

Leave

Annual leave

Leave (Paid)

4 Weeks per year (pro rata)
+ LOADING

Shiftworkers* Leave (Paid)

5 Weeks per year (pro rata)
+ LOADING

Any unused annual leave will roll over from year to year

Annual leave loading = 17.5% of the employee’s base pay rate

* 7 day shiftworkers are employees who are:

  • employed in a business where shifts are continuous 24 hours a day for 7 days a week and are regularly rostered to work those shifts, and
  • regularly rostered to work on Sundays and public holidays.

To calculate leave amounts, use our Leave Calculator opens new tab

Sick/Carer's
leave

Sick/Carer's leave (Paid)

10 days each year (pro rata)*

Carer's leave (Unpaid)

2 Days per occasion**

* The balance at the end of each year carries over to the next year.

** Used any time an immediate family member or household member needs care and support due to illness, injury or an unexpected emergency.

Employees must use their paid sick/carer’s leave before they can take unpaid carer’s leave.

Public Holidays

Leave (Paid)

receive

Paid time off when an ordinary work day falls on a public holiday.

Compassionate leave

Leave (Paid)

2 days

Compassionate leave can be taken when:

  • an immediate family or household member dies or suffers a life-threatening illness or injury
  • a child is stillborn where the child would have been a member of the employee’s immediate family or household, or
  • the employee, or the employee’s spouse or de facto partner, has a miscarriage.

FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE

Leave (Paid)

10 days each year

Find out about Paid family and domestic violence leave.

Leave

Annual leave

Leave (Paid)

N/A

Sick/Carer's
leave

Sick leave (Paid)

N/A

Carer's leave (Unpaid)

2 Days per occasion *

* Used any time an immediate family member or household member needs care and support due to illness, injury or an unexpected emergency.

Public Holidays

Leave (Paid)

N/A*

* No entitlement to paid public holidays not worked.

Compassionate leave

Leave (Unpaid)

2 days

Compassionate leave can be taken when:

  • an immediate family or household member dies or suffers a life-threatening illness or injury
  • a child is stillborn where the child would have been a member of the employee’s immediate family or household, or
  • the employee, or the employee’s spouse or de facto partner, has a miscarriage.

FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE

Leave (Paid)

10 days each year

Find out about Paid family and domestic violence leave.

Termination

A notice period is the time that an employee or employer has to give before ending employment. This applies when the employee resigns, or if they are dismissed or made redundant.

NOTICE PERIOD

Period of continuous service

Minimum notice period

1 year or less1 week
More than 1 year - 3 years2 weeks
More than 3 years - 5 years3 weeks
More than 5 years4 weeks

Note: For employees over 45 with at least 2 years of continuous service, the employer must add an extra week of notice (to the above table).

An employer can let the employee work through their notice period, pay it out to them (also known as pay in lieu of notice), or give a combination of the two.

To calculate notice periods, use our Notice and Redundancy Calculator opens new tab.

FINAL PAY

Employees get the following in their final pay:

outstanding wages for hours worked, including penalty rates and allowances

any accumulated annual leave (including payment of annual leave loading)

accrued or pro rata long service leave (if applicable)

payment in lieu of notice (if applicable)

 

redundancy pay (if applicable)

Sick and carer’s leave is not paid out when employment ends.

To calculate redundancy pay, use our Notice and Redundancy Calculator opens new tab.

To calculate leave amounts owing, use our Leave Calculator opens new tab.

WITHHOLDING MONEY FROM FINAL PAY

Employers can deduct up to one week’s wages from an employee’s pay if:

  • the employee is over 18
  • the employee hasn’t given the right amount of notice under their award
  • the deduction isn’t unreasonable.

Employers can only deduct pay from wages owed under the award. They can’t deduct from other entitlements owed to the employee, such as accumulated leave.

Find out more about notice and final pay. opens new tab

Termination

A notice period is the time that an employee or employer has to give before ending employment. This applies when the employee resigns, or if they are dismissed or made redundant.

NOTICE PERIOD

Period of continuous service

Minimum notice period

1 year or less1 week
More than 1 year - 3 years2 weeks
More than 3 years - 5 years3 weeks
More than 5 years4 weeks

Note: For employees over 45 with at least 2 years of continuous service, the employer must add an extra week of notice (to the above table).

An employer can let the employee work through their notice period, pay it out to them (also known as pay in lieu of notice), or give a combination of the two.

To calculate notice periods, use our Notice and Redundancy Calculator opens new tab.

FINAL PAY

Employees get the following in their final pay:

outstanding wages for hours worked, including penalty rates and allowances

any accumulated annual leave (including payment of annual leave loading)

accrued or pro rata long service leave (if applicable)

payment in lieu of notice (if applicable)

redundancy pay (if applicable)

Sick and carer’s leave is not paid out when employment ends.

To calculate redundancy pay, use our Notice and Redundancy Calculator opens new tab.

To calculate leave amounts owing, use our Leave Calculator opens new tab.

WITHHOLDING MONEY FROM FINAL PAY

Employers can deduct up to one week’s wages from an employee’s pay if:

  • the employee is over 18
  • the employee hasn’t given the right amount of notice under their award
  • the deduction isn’t unreasonable.

Employers can only deduct pay from wages owed under the award. They can’t deduct from other entitlements owed to the employee, such as accumulated leave.

Find out more about notice and final pay opens new tab.

Notice of termination

NOTICE PERIOD

Minimum notice period

N/A

Notice periods don't apply to casual employees. This includes when an employee resigns or if they are terminated for any reason.

FINAL PAY

Employees get the following in their final pay:

outstanding wages for hours worked, including penalty rates and allowances

I’m not sure if this is my award

For more information on whether this award applies to you, refer to:

Looking for Apprentice or trainee rates? Use our Pay Calculator to calculate the rates you need. Apprentices and trainees are employees who have a formal training contract with their employer. Learn more about apprentice and trainee entitlements.