15. Minimum rates

[Varied by PR720159, PR718892, PR729333, PR740758, PR762183, PR767896, PR773961, PR786612, PR799354]

[15.1 varied by PR718892, PR729333, PR740758, PR762183, PR773961, PR786612, PR799354 ppc 01Jul26]

15.1 An employer must pay adult employees the following minimum rates for ordinary hours worked by the employee:

Employee classification | Minimum weekly rate (full-time employee) | Minimum hourly rate

| $ | $

Level 1 | 997.40 | 26.25

Level 2 | 1024.10 | 26.95

Level 3 | 1037.70 | 27.31

Level 4 | 1051.20 | 27.66

Level 5 | 1064.30 | 28.01

Level 6 | 1091.70 | 28.73

NOTE: See Schedule B—Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay for a summary of hourly rates of pay including overtime and penalty rates.

15.2 For the purposes of clause 15.1, any entitlement to a minimum rate expressed to be by the week means any entitlement which an employee would receive for performing 38 hours of work.

15.3 The following employees are not entitled to the minimum rates set out in the table in clause 15.1:

(a) a trainee:

[15.3(a)(i) varied by PR720159 ppc 18Jun20]

(i) Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 sets out minimum wage rates and conditions for employees undertaking traineeships.

[15.3(a)(ii) varied by PR720159 ppc 18Jun20, PR718892, PR729333, PR740758, PR762183, PR773961, PR786612, PR799354 ppc 01Jul26]

(ii) This award incorporates the terms of Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 as at 1 July 2026. Provided that any reference to “this award” in Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 is to be read as referring to the Poultry Processing Award 2020 and not the Miscellaneous Award 2020; and

(b) an unapprenticed junior (see clause 15.4); and

(c) an employee receiving a supported wage (see Schedule D—Supported Wage System).

15.4 Unapprenticed junior minimum rates

[15.4 varied by PR767896 ppc 31Dec23]

Junior employees will be entitled to the percentage of the applicable adult weekly rate for their classification as follows:

Age | %

Under 17 years of age | 70

17 years of age | 80

18 years of age and over | 100

15.5 Higher duties

(a) An employee required by the employer to perform the duties of a position carrying a higher minimum rate than the employee’s ordinary classification for more than 4 hours during one day, must be paid the higher minimum rate for that day.

(b) An employee required by the employer to perform the duties of a position carrying a higher minimum rate than the employee’s ordinary classification for 4 hours or less during one day, must be paid the higher rate for the actual time worked at that higher level.

2. Definitions

[Varied by PR733892, PR774786, PR777307, PR795698]

In this award, unless the contrary intention appears:

Act means the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).

adult employee means an employee 18 years of age and over.

afternoon shift means a shift of ordinary hours finishing at or after 5.00 pm or, where the ordinary hours are extended by agreement, 6.00 pm and at or before midnight.

all purposes means the payment will be included in the rate of pay of an employee who is entitled to the allowance, when calculating any penalties or loadings or payment while they are on annual leave (see clause 17.2(a)).

[Definition of casual employee inserted by PR733892 from 27Sep21; varied by PR777307 from 27Aug24]

casual employee has the meaning given by section 15A of the Act.

NOTE: Section 15A of the Act was amended with effect from 26 August 2024. Under clause 102(3) of Schedule 1 to the Act, an existing employee who was a casual employee of an employer under section 15A as it was immediately before that date is taken to be a casual employee of the employer for the purposes of section 15A after that date.

defined benefit member has the meaning given by the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth).

early morning shift means a shift of ordinary hours commencing at or after 2.00 am and before 4.00 am.

employee means national system employee within the meaning of the Act.

[Definition of employee organisation inserted by PR774786; substituted retrospectively by PR795698 ppc 01Jul24]

employee organisation has the meaning given by section 12 of the Act.

employer means national system employer within the meaning of the Act.

[Definition of enterprise inserted by PR774786 from 01Jul24]

enterprise has the meaning given by section 12 of the Act.

exempt public sector superannuation scheme has the meaning given by the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth).

leading hand means an employee who is given by the employer, or their agent, the responsibility for directing and/or supervising the work of other persons.

MySuper product has the meaning given by the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth).

NES means the National Employment Standards as contained in sections 59 to 131 of the Act.

night shift means a shift finishing after midnight and at or before 8.00 am.

on-hire means the on-hire of an employee by their employer to a client, where such employee works under the general guidance and instruction of the client or a representative of the client.

ordinary hourly rate means the hourly rate for the employee’s classification specified in clause 15—Minimum rates, plus any allowances specified as being included in the employee’s ordinary hourly rate or payable for all purposes.

permanent night shift employee is an employee who:

(a) works night shift only; or

(b) stays on night shift for a longer period than 4 consecutive weeks; or

(c) works on a night shift which does not rotate or alternate with another shift or with day work so as to give the employee at least one third of their working time off night shift in each shift cycle.

poultry processing industry has the meaning given in clause 4.2.

[Definition of small business employer inserted by PR774786 from 01Jul24]

small business employer has the meaning given by section 23 of the Act.

standard rate means the minimum hourly rate for the Level 2 classification in clause 15.1.

[Definition of workplace delegate inserted by PR774786 from 01Jul24]

workplace delegate has the meaning given by section 350C(1) of the Act.