Penalty rates are loadings on the ordinary hourly rate for particular times or days. The applicable award, classification, employment type and time band control the rate.
What counts as a penalty rate
Penalty rates apply to ordinary hours in the periods stated by the award. They are separate from overtime, which has its own award table. Do not assume that a weekend or late shift has one universal multiplier.
Penalty rates by award (2026-27)
These are the stored award multipliers current from 1 July 2026. Casual multipliers include the casual loading where the award publishes them that way.
General Retail Industry Award (MA000004)
- Evening, after 6 pm Monday to Friday: 125% permanent, 150% casual
- Saturday: 125% permanent, 150% casual
- Sunday: 150% permanent, 175% casual
- Public holiday: 225% permanent, 250% casual
Hospitality Industry (General) Award (MA000009)
- Saturday: 125% permanent, 150% casual
- Sunday: 150% permanent, 175% casual
- Public holiday: 225% permanent, 250% casual
Restaurant Industry Award (MA000119)
- Saturday: 125% permanent, 150% casual
- Sunday: 150% permanent, 150% casual at Levels 1-2 and 175% casual at Levels 3-6
- Public holiday: 225% permanent, 250% casual
Fast Food Industry Award (MA000003)
- Late evening, Monday to Friday 10 pm-midnight: 110% permanent, 135% casual
- Night, Monday to Friday midnight-6 am: 115% permanent, 140% casual
- Saturday: 125% permanent, 150% casual
- Sunday: 125% permanent, 150% casual at Level 1; 150% permanent, 175% casual at Levels 2-3
- Public holiday: 225% permanent, 250% casual
Price your own shift
What is that shift worth?
Employment type
Shift
8.0 paid hours at 175% of $27.81 an hour
$389
The same hours at the ordinary rate would pay $278, so the penalty is worth $111 for this shift.
Retail Award cl 11.2 says: “The minimum daily engagement of a casual employee is 3 hours, or 1.5 hours’ in the circumstances set out in clause 11.3.” This model applies 3 hours and does not assess the school-student exception in cl 11.3. This model applies the stored award minimum engagement and public-holiday payment rules where they apply. It does not assess rostered days off, overtime or other award conditions. Rates current from 1 July 2026. Registered agreements can vary them. Full week, tax included, in the Award Pay Calculator.
A worked example
A casual Level 1 retail employee earns a base rate of $27.81 an hour. Working 20 ordinary hours plus an 8-hour Sunday shift:
- Ordinary hours: 20 x $34.76 (the published casual hourly rate) = $695.20
- Sunday hours: 8 x $48.67 (the published casual Sunday rate) = $389.36
- Total gross for the week: $1,084.56
Without the Sunday penalty, those 8 hours would add $278.08 at the casual rate, so the Sunday loading is worth an extra $111.28 for the shift.
Two quirks worth knowing
- Restaurant Industry Award, Sunday. Casual staff at Levels 1 and 2 are paid 150% on Sundays, while Levels 3 to 6 are paid 175%. The Sunday rate depends on classification, so it cannot be inferred by adding a casual loading to the permanent rate.
- Fast Food Industry Award, Sunday. The Sunday rate depends on classification level. Level 1 crew get 125% permanent and 150% casual. Levels 2 and 3 get 150% permanent and 175% casual.
Fast Food has two evening percentage bands
Retail sets its evening loading as a multiplier: ordinary hours after 6 pm Monday to Friday are paid at 125% of the base rate, and 150% for casuals.
Fast Food also has percentage bands, but only for the specific weekday periods in Table 6: 110% permanent and 135% casual from 10 pm to midnight, then 115% permanent and 140% casual from midnight to 6 am. The shift embed can price those bands because it asks the reader to select one.
Hospitality and Restaurant may use flat dollar amounts for their applicable late shifts. Check the award text or pay guide for the amount and the exact period.
The shift embed prices Fast Food's Table 6 bands. It does not infer an unqualified evening rate in the Award Pay Calculator or Underpayment Check, because those tools do not collect the day and time range the table requires.
Overtime is a separate schedule
Under the General Retail Industry Award, the full-time and part-time overtime rate steps from 150% to 200% after the first three hours for Monday to Saturday overtime. The casual overtime column is 175% for the first three hours and 225% after that.
Under the Fast Food Industry Award, the full-time and part-time overtime rate steps from 150% to 200% after the first two hours for Monday to Saturday overtime. The casual overtime column is 175% for the first two hours and 225% after that. Hospitality and Restaurant have their own schedules, and some awards use a flat rate for all overtime on Sunday or a public holiday. Check the award's overtime day and employment-type column.
Junior rates change the calculation
Every award here has separate junior scales. Check the current pay guide for the employee's age and classification. Penalty multipliers apply to the applicable junior rate, not an adult rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
150% of the base rate for permanent employees and 175% for casuals under the General Retail Industry Award, current from 1 July 2026.
Use the award's casual penalty column. A retail casual Sunday rate of 175% includes casual loading. Restaurant Sunday rates depend on classification: 150% for casual Levels 1 and 2, and 175% for casual Levels 3 to 6.
No. Penalty rates apply to ordinary hours in a stated period. Overtime applies to extra hours under its own award table. Retail has a three-hour first band, while Hospitality, Restaurant and Fast Food have two-hour first bands in the stored schedules.
Check the award's time band before assuming an evening rate applies. Retail uses a multiplier after 6 pm on weekdays. Fast Food Table 6 has percentage bands from 10 pm to midnight and from midnight to 6 am on weekdays. Hospitality and Restaurant may instead use a flat amount for their applicable late shifts.
Yes. The award multiplier applies to the applicable junior rate, so check both the junior pay scale and the penalty table.
Modern awards are national. The public holidays that apply can vary by state or territory.