minimum wage

New minimum wage from 1 July 2017 & Penalty rates change

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The new national minimum wage from 1 July 2017 is $694.90 per week or $18.29 per hour, an increase of 3.3% from the previous financial year.

For employees covered by an award, award rates will increase by 3.3%.

Also from 1 July 2017, penalty rates in the Hospitality, Restaurant, Fast Food, Retail and Pharmacy Awards have also changed.

New Sunday penalty rates will be phased in over 2~3 years from 1 July 2017 as follows:

*Applies only to ‘Level 1 employees’

** Includes casual loading

*** For hours worked between 7 am and 9 pm

All public holiday penalty rates for the above awards from 1 July 2017 will be 225% for full-time and part-time employees and 250% for casual employees.

For more information, visit Fair Work Ombudsman’s website (https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/penalty-rates-and-allowances/penalty-rates-changes-2017).

 

 

New national minimum wage and high income threshold from 1 July 2016

Fair work commission has increased the national minimum wage 2.4% from 1 July 2016.

It is now $672.70 per week or $17.70 per hour.

The high income threshold is $138,900 from 1 July 2016.  An Employee whose annual income exceeds the high income threshold is not entitled to make an unfair dismissal claim under the Fair Work Act 2009.  However, they may be able to make a wrongful dismissal claim under the common law if their employment was terminated in breach of their employment contract.