The Fair Work Commission has made amendments to the Retail Industry Award that will see initial changes come into effect on 1 March 2020, with further amendments being rolled out later in the year and again in 2021. These revisions will affect both casual and permanent employees.
Changes for casual employees
Until March of this year, casual employees that worked after 6:00 pm on Monday to Friday received a penalty payment of an additional 35% loading, including casual loading. Commencing on the first full pay period on or after 1 March 2020, these penalty payments will increase to 40%. This rate will be in place until 1 October 2020 when they will increase to 45%. The next rate increase will be to 50% and will be implemented on 1 March 2021. Each of these rates includes the employees’ casual loading.
Prior to March 2020 casual employees who worked hours on a Saturday received a penalty payment of an additional 45% loading, also inclusive of the casual loading. Beginning in March 2020, the penalty rate will increase to 50% for these casual employees.
There will be further changes to casual shiftworkers’ rates of pay from 1 July 2020 onwards (a reduction from a 115% loading to a 100% loading).
Changes for permanent employees
Permanent employees will also see changes to their rate of pay later this year. Effective 1 July 2020, non-shift workers that work hours on a Sunday will receive an additional 50% loading. This payment is a decrease from the additional 65% loading they are currently entitled to. Likewise, shift workers that work hours on a Sunday will also see a decrease in penalty payment. Their payment will be down from an additional 90% loading to an additional 75% loading.
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