When must higher duties be paid?
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Quick explanation
Previously reviewed explanation — check official wording before use
If the employer requires higher-rated duties for more than 4 hours in one day, pay the higher minimum rate for that day.
Check the conditions
- For 4 hours or less in one day, pay the higher rate for the actual time at that level.
Read the official wording and citations
Poultry Processing Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman
FWC · MA000074 · Clause 15
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.
Complete normalized source clause. Exact snapshot/raw integrity checked; explanation review status is recorded separately on each entry. Parent-clause citation does not establish exhaustive paragraph coverage.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2026. Fair Work Commission. Consolidated Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Quotations retain source wording; whitespace/table formatting is normalised for display. Personal/non-commercial or internal use only under the FWC copyright notice. Quick Award explanations are separate AI source-checked text; no government endorsement.
- Official document
- Poultry Processing Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman ↗
- Version
- This Fair Work Commission consolidated modern award incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 July 2026 (PR799280, PR799354 and PR799510). ↗
- Citation verified
- Operative note
- Explains the current consolidated Award text incorporating amendments up to and including 1 July 2026, checked on 25 October 2026. The consolidation date is not a commencement date for these rules; historical work requires the text and variations applicable at that time.