Clerks Award Pay Rates by Level
Adult minimum rates for full-time and part-time employees under the Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rate as full-time employees at their classification — the difference is hours, not rate. The casual column adds the 25% loading (cl 11.1).
| Classification level | Weekly (38 hrs) | Hourly | Casual hourly (+25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — Year 1 | $1,024.70 | $26.97 | $33.71 |
| Level 1 — Year 2 | $1,073.10 | $28.24 | $35.30 |
| Level 1 — Year 3 | $1,106.20 | $29.11 | $36.39 |
| Level 2 — Year 1 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Level 2 — Year 2 | $1,139.90 | $30.00 | $37.50 |
| Level 3 | $1,182.10 | $31.11 | $38.89 |
| Call centre principal customer contact specialist | $1,190.40 | $31.33 | $39.16 |
| Level 4 | $1,241.40 | $32.67 | $40.84 |
| Level 5 | $1,291.80 | $33.99 | $42.49 |
| Call centre technical associate | $1,415.10 | $37.24 | $46.55 |
Weekly rates are the award’s minimum weekly rate for a full-time employee (cl 16.1, Table 3); hourly is the weekly rate divided by 38.
Which level am I?
- Years of service: Level 1 and Level 2 progress by year. Any service at the classification level — including administrative and clerical experience with a previous employer — counts towards a year of service (cl 16.2).
Levels 1 and 2 step up by year of service — and prior experience counts
Level 1 has three yearly steps and Level 2 has two. Any service at the classification level, including administrative and clerical experience with a previous employer, counts towards a year (cl 16.2), so a clerk who changes jobs should not restart at Year 1.
Clerks Award Pay Guide 2026-27: Every Level, Every Day
The hourly rate for each classification at each penalty band, in the layout of the Fair Work pay guide. Find your level, then the day you worked.
Full-time and part-time
| Classification | Mon–Fri100% | Saturday125% | Sunday200% | Public holiday250% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — Year 1 | $26.97 | $33.71 | $53.94 | $67.43 |
| Level 1 — Year 2 | $28.24 | $35.30 | $56.48 | $70.60 |
| Level 1 — Year 3 | $29.11 | $36.39 | $58.22 | $72.78 |
| Level 2 — Year 1 | $29.45 | $36.81 | $58.90 | $73.63 |
| Level 2 — Year 2 | $30.00 | $37.50 | $60.00 | $75.00 |
| Level 3 | $31.11 | $38.89 | $62.22 | $77.78 |
| Call centre principal customer contact specialist | $31.33 | $39.16 | $62.66 | $78.33 |
| Level 4 | $32.67 | $40.84 | $65.34 | $81.68 |
| Level 5 | $33.99 | $42.49 | $67.98 | $84.98 |
| Call centre technical associate | $37.24 | $46.55 | $74.48 | $93.10 |
Casual
| Classification | Mon–Fri125% | Saturday150% | Sunday225% | Public holiday275% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — Year 1 | $33.71 | $40.46 | $60.68 | $74.17 |
| Level 1 — Year 2 | $35.30 | $42.36 | $63.54 | $77.66 |
| Level 1 — Year 3 | $36.39 | $43.67 | $65.50 | $80.05 |
| Level 2 — Year 1 | $36.81 | $44.18 | $66.26 | $80.99 |
| Level 2 — Year 2 | $37.50 | $45.00 | $67.50 | $82.50 |
| Level 3 | $38.89 | $46.67 | $70.00 | $85.55 |
| Call centre principal customer contact specialist | $39.16 | $47.00 | $70.49 | $86.16 |
| Level 4 | $40.84 | $49.01 | $73.51 | $89.84 |
| Level 5 | $42.49 | $50.99 | $76.48 | $93.47 |
| Call centre technical associate | $46.55 | $55.86 | $83.79 | $102.41 |
Casual figures are the award's casual percentages, which already include the 25% loading where it applies. Figures are rounded to the cent. A dash means the column does not apply to that classification.
Clerks Award Penalty Rates
| When worked | Full-time / part-time | $ on Level 1 — Year 1 | Casual | $ casual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday (ordinary hours) | 125% | $33.71 | 150% | $40.46 |
| Sunday (ordinary hours, where cl 13.5 applies) | 200% | $53.94 | 225% | $60.68 |
| Public holidayPublic holiday pay calculator & dates by state → | 250% | $67.43 | 275% | $74.17 |
Source: cl 24 and Schedule B.3.1.
Ordinary hours for non-shiftworkers run 7.00 am to 7.00 pm Monday to Friday and 7.00 am to 12.30 pm on Saturday (cl 13.3), movable by up to an hour by agreement. Sunday ordinary hours arise only where cl 13.5 applies — clerks working alongside employees under a different award.
An employee required to work ordinary hours on a Sunday, or to work on a public holiday, is entitled to not less than 4 hours' pay (cl 24.3(c), 24.4(d)).
Shiftworkers are paid under Part 6 (cl 31) instead; those rates are not reproduced here.
Clerks Award Overtime Rates
| Overtime worked | Full-time / part-time | $ on Level 1 — Year 1 | Casual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday — first 2 hours | 150% | $40.46 | 175% · $47.20 |
| Monday to Saturday — after 2 hours | 200% | $53.94 | 225% · $60.68 |
| Sunday — all day | 200% | $53.94 | 225% · $60.68 |
| Public holiday — all day | 250% | $67.43 | 275% · $74.17 |
Source: cl 21.4(a), Table 5.
Casual overtime includes the loading (Table 5 NOTE 2). Overtime is calculated daily, and is payable once weekly overtime reaches half an hour (cl 21.3).
Clerks Award Junior Rates
Junior rates are a percentage of the adult rate for the classification (cl 16.4, Table 4), and apply to the rate for the employee's classification. The dollar columns apply the percentage to Level 1 — Year 1 ($1,024.70 a week) and divide by 38. The full adult rate applies from age 21.
| Age | % of adult rate | Weekly on Level 1 — Year 1 | Hourly | Casual hourly (+25%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | 45% | $461.12 | $12.13 | $15.16 |
| 16 | 50% | $512.35 | $13.48 | $16.85 |
| 17 | 60% | $614.82 | $16.18 | $20.23 |
| 18 | 70% | $717.29 | $18.88 | $23.60 |
| 19 | 80% | $819.76 | $21.57 | $26.96 |
| 20 | 90% | $922.23 | $24.27 | $30.34 |
| 21 and over | 100% | $1,024.70 | $26.97 | $33.71 |
For how junior scales compare across awards and against the National Minimum Wage, see our junior pay rates guide.
Clerks Award Allowances
Fixed-dollar allowances in cl 19, operative from 1 July 2026. Each is paid only where the clause’s conditions are met.
| Allowance | Amount | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| First aid allowance | $16.79 per week | cl 19.2(b) |
| Uniform laundry — full-time | $3.64 per week | cl 19.4(d)(i) |
| Uniform laundry — part-time or casual | $0.73 per shift | cl 19.4(d)(ii) |
| Meal allowance (overtime of more than 1.5 hours without 24 hours' notice) | $20.75 per occasion | cl 19.5(b)(i) |
| Further meal allowance (that overtime exceeds 4 hours) | $16.62 per occasion | cl 19.5(c) |
| Vehicle allowance — motor carPayable up to 400 km a week (cl 19.6(b)). | $1.00 per km | cl 19.6(a)(i) |
| Vehicle allowance — motor cycle | $0.34 per km | cl 19.6(a)(ii) |
Minimum Shifts and Hours
- The maximum ordinary hours on any day is 10, excluding unpaid meal breaks (cl 13.7).
What does a clerks award rate take home?
- Take-home on $29.45/hr (Level 2 — Year 1)
- Take-home on $30.00/hr (Level 2 — Year 2)
- Take-home on $31.11/hr (Level 3)
- Take-home on $32.67/hr (Level 4)
- Take-home on $33.99/hr (Level 5)
Working a mix of shifts? Enter your hours in the weekly pay calculator, or turn a salary into net pay with the take-home pay calculator.
What This Page Does Not Cover
These parts of the award carry rules or rates we have not verified line by line, so we publish no figures for them:
- Shiftwork penalty and overtime rates (Part 6, cl 28 and 31)
- Annualised wage arrangements (cl 18)
- National Training Wage (Schedule E of the Miscellaneous Award) trainee rates
An enterprise agreement, if one covers your workplace, replaces these award rates — though it must leave you better off overall.
When These Rates Took Effect
Applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, not universally 1 July. If your pay period began before 1 July 2026, the previous rate lawfully applies to that whole period and the rise starts with the next one. The award was varied by determination PR799283 following the Annual Wage Review 2026. If you have been paid below these rates, our backpay calculator works out what is owed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clerks Award questions and answers
What are the clerks award pay rates for 2026-27?
Under the Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020 (MA000002), adult minimum rates run from $26.97 an hour ($1,024.70 a week) for Level 1 — Year 1 to $37.24 an hour ($1,415.10 a week) for Call centre technical associate. They apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026.
What is the casual rate under the Clerks Award?
Casuals receive a 25% loading on the minimum hourly rate, so Level 1 — Year 1 becomes $33.71 an hour. Casual penalty rates add the loading rather than multiplying by it — the casual column in the award is the permanent percentage plus 25 percentage points.
What allowances are paid under the Clerks Award?
The award's allowances clause (cl 19) includes: first aid allowance $16.79 per week; uniform laundry — full-time $3.64 per week; uniform laundry — part-time or casual $0.73 per shift; meal allowance (overtime of more than 1.5 hours without 24 hours' notice) $20.75 per occasion; further meal allowance (that overtime exceeds 4 hours) $16.62 per occasion. Allowances are paid on top of the classification rate when the employee meets the clause's conditions.
What are the junior rates under the Clerks Award?
Junior rates are a percentage of the adult rate for the classification (cl 16.4, Table 4): Under 16 45%, 16 50%, 17 60%, 18 70%, 19 80%, 20 90%. The full adult rate applies from age 21. They apply to the rate for the employee's classification.
When did the new clerks award rates start?
Applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, not universally 1 July. The MA000002 rates were varied by determination PR799283 following the Annual Wage Review 2026. If your pay period started before 1 July 2026, the old rate lawfully applies to that whole period.
What hours are ordinary hours under the clerks award?
For non-shiftworkers, ordinary hours are worked between 7.00 am and 7.00 pm Monday to Friday and 7.00 am to 12.30 pm on Saturday, a spread that can be moved by up to an hour by agreement. Work outside that spread is overtime. Ordinary hours on a Sunday arise only where clerks work alongside employees covered by another award that allows them.
How is overtime paid under the clerks award?
Monday to Saturday overtime is 150% for the first 2 hours and 200% after that; Sunday is 200% and public holidays 250%. Casual overtime includes the 25% loading, so it is 175%, 225%, 225% and 275%. Overtime is calculated daily and is paid once weekly overtime reaches half an hour.
How these rates were verified▼
Every figure comes from one constants file transcribed on 23 September 2026 from the Fair Work Commission’s consolidated MA000002 award text, which incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 July 2026 (PR799280, PR799283 and PR799440). Clause numbers are cited against each table. Hourly is the published weekly rate divided by 38; derived dollar figures are rounded half up to the cent.
Automated tests pin the published rates, check every hourly rate against its weekly rate, and assert the rules this award is most often modelled wrongly on — including that casual penalties add the loading rather than multiplying by it. Parts of the award we have not verified are listed as gaps rather than estimated.
Sources & References
- 1Consolidated award text — Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020 (MA000002)— Fair Work Commission
- 2Award summary and pay guide — MA000002— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2026— Fair Work Commission
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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