Retail Industry Award changes effective 1 March 2020

The Fair Work Commission has made amendments to the Retail Industry Award that will see initial changes come into effect on 1 March 2020. There will be further amendments later in the year and again in 2021. These revisions will affect both casual and permanent employees.

What are the changes for casual employees?

Currently, casual employees that worked after 6:00 pm on Monday to Friday received a penalty payment of 35% loading (25% casual loading plus 10% penalty loading).

As from the 1 March 2020, these penalty payments will increase to 40%.

From 1 October 2020 the penalty payment will increase to 45% and then to 50% from 1 March 2021.

Where casuals work a Saturday, from the first full pay cycle after 1 March the penalty will increase to 50% (currently 45%) There will be further changes to casual shift workers’ rates of pay from 1 July 2020 onwards (a reduction from a 115% loading to a 100% loading).

Note: Each of these rates includes the employees’ casual loading.

Note: any changes to pay rates commence from the start of a new pay period after the effective date.

What are the changes for permanent employees?

Effective 1 July 2020, non-shift workers that work hours on a Sunday will receive an additional 50% loading. (currently the penalty is 65% so this will be a decrease)

Shift workers who work on a Sunday will receive an additional loading of 75%. (currently the penalty is a 90% loading, so again this is a decrease).

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