Award Guides

General Retail Industry Award Guide

September 15, 2022
0 min read
Award Guides

*Last updated 06/06/2023

General Retail Industry Award (MA000004) : Complete Summary (Updated 2023)


This blog is a complete summary of the General Retail Industry Award, covering all main pay categories that determine the calculation of pay. The full version of the award can be found here.

Table of contents:

Coverage:


The General Retail Industry Award covers employers and employees in the general retail industry throughout Australia. 

This includes business such as : 

  • Retailers (supermarkets or grocery stores) 
  • Department stores 
  • Bakeries (food is baked and sold on premises)
  • Furniture, household appliances, recreational goods stores
  • Retail travel agencies
  • Retail poultry stores 
  • Newsagents 
  • Clerical work in retail stores

Key Takeaways - General Retail Industry Award (GRIA):

  • Clause 15.4 and 15.5 A maximum of 9 ordinary hours can be worked on a day, but employees can work a maximum of 11 ordinary hours one day a week
  • Clause 10.9 and 11.2 The minimum daily engagement for part-time and casual employees is 3 hours (except secondary school students who are casuals may have a minimum daily engagement of 1.5 hours)
  • Clause 15.7 - The maximum number of consecutive days that can be worked is 6 (this includes both ordinary and additional hours) 
  • Clause 15.7 Employees must be rostered to work so that they have 2 consecutive days off per week or 3 consecutive days off per 2 week cycle
  • Clause 15.8 Employees who regularly work Sundays must be rostered so that they have 3 consecutive days off (including Saturday and Sunday) per 4 week cycle
  • Clause 15.6 Full-time employees who work in an establishment with at least 15 employees on a regular basis, can be rostered for a maximum of 19 days in a 4 week cycle.

Full time employees:

Ordinary hours 

Engagement 

Penalty (non shift workers)

Penalty (Shiftworkers other than baking employees)

Overtime 

Leave Entitlements

Average 38 hours per week

Minimum: 

Not specified


Maximum: 

9 hours a day and one 11 hour day per week

Monday to Friday - After 6pm: 

125%


Saturday - all ordinary hours:

125%


Sunday - all ordinary hours: 

150%


Public holiday - all ordinary hours:

225%

Midnight Sunday - Midnight Friday:

130%


Saturday:

150%



Sunday:

175%


Public Holiday:

225%

Monday - Saturday - 

150%



Monday to Saturday - after 3 hours:

200%


Sunday:

200%


Public holiday:

250%

  • Annual leave
  • Personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave
  • Parental leave 
  • Community service leave
  • Family and domestic violence leave 


Part time employees:

Ordinary hours 

Engagement 

Penalty (non shift workers)

Penalty (Shiftworkers other than baking employees)

Overtime 

Leave Entitlements

Less than 38 hours

Minimum: 

3 hours 


Maximum: 

9 hours a day and one 11 hour day per week

Monday to Friday - After 6pm: 

125%


Saturday - all ordinary hours:

125%


Sunday - all ordinary hours: 

150%


Public holiday - all ordinary hours:

225%

Midnight Sunday - Midnight Friday:

130%


Saturday:

150%


Sunday:

175%


Public Holiday:

225%

Monday - Saturday - 

150%



Monday to Saturday - after 3 hours:

200%


Sunday:

200%


Public holiday:

250%

  • Annual leave (pro rata)
  • Personal/carer’s leave compassionate leave pro rata)
  • Parental leave 
  • Community service leave
  • Family and domestic violence leave 


 


Casual employees:

Ordinary hours 

Engagement 

Penalty (non shift workers)

Penalty (Shiftworkers other than baking employees)

Overtime 

Leave Entitlements

No guaranteed hours

Minimum: 

3 hours (or 1.5 hours for a full-time secondary student)*


Maximum: 

9 hours a day and one 11 hour day per week

Monday to Friday - After 6pm: 

150%


Saturday - all ordinary hours:

150%


Sunday - all ordinary hours: 

175%


Public holiday - all ordinary hours:

250%

Midnight Sunday - Midnight Friday:

155%


Saturday:

175%


Sunday:

200%


Public Holiday:

250%

Monday - Saturday - first 3 hours:

175%



Monday to Saturday - after 3 hours:

225%


Sunday:

225%


Public holiday:

275%

  • Personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave (unpaid)
  • Parental leave (unpaid)
  • Community service leave (unpaid)
  • Family and domestic violence leave (paid)**

 

* When a full-time secondary school student:

  • is engaged to work between 3pm and 6.30pm on a school attendance day; and
  • the employee’s parents/guardian agree to less than 3 hours of work; 
  • and longer employment is not possible due to operational needs or unavailability of the employee

** From 1 February 2023, all employees (including casuals) of non-small business employers can access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave in a 12 month period. From 1 August 2023, all employees (including casuals) of small business employers can access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave in a 12 month period. 

Ordinary hours:

 

Day workers (non Shiftworkers)

Shiftworkers

Ordinary hours span

Monday to Friday, 7:00am - 9:00pm 

Saturday, 7:00am - 6:00pm 

Sunday, 9:00am - 6:00pm


(Newsagency from 5:00am, videoshop until midnight and until 11:00pm if  establishment trading hours are extended beyond 9pm Monday - Friday or 6pm on Saturday/Sunday)

N/A

 

Junior Employees:

Adult rates are paid when an employee is 21 years of age or older, or when an employee is 20 years old and employed by the employer for more than 6 months. 

A junior employee who is classified as a retail level employee level 1, 2 and 3 is paid the following minimum percentage :

Age

% of minimum rate

15 years of age and under 

16 years of age

17 years of age

18 years of age

19 years of age 

20 years of age (and employed by employer for 6 months or less)

20 years of age (and employed by the employer for more than 6 months)

45%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

 

Rates:


Refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for all minimum rates under this award. https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/payguides/fairwork/ma000004/pdf

For apprentice rates go to the award.

Classification of employees:

  • Retail Employee Level 1
  • Retail Employee Level 2 
  • Retail Employee Level 3
  • Retail Employee Level 4
  • Retail Employee Level 5
  • Retail Employee Level 6
  • Retail Employee Level 7
  • Retail Employee Level 8

Breaks:

Rest period (break between shifts) : Minimum of 12 hours between work one day and work the next day, otherwise paid at 200% until a 12 hour break is had.

Hours worked

Paid rest breaks

Meal breaks

Less than 4 hours 

No rest break

No meal break

4 hours to 5 hours 

One 10 minute rest break

No meal break

More than 5 but less than 7

One 10 minute rest break

One 30 - 60 minute meal break

7 hours to less than 10 hours

Two 10 minute rest breaks*

One 30 - 60 minute meal break

10 hours or more

Two 10 minute rest breaks*

Two 30 - 60 minute meal break

* One rest break to be taken first half of shift, one rest break taken second half of shift

Allowances :

 

First aid allowance

$12.23 per week 0.32 0.50

Liquor licence allowance 

$29.17 per week 

Cold work allowance :

Cold chambers, stocking and refilling

Cold chambers below 0℃

$ per hour or part thereof

$0.32

$0.50

Broken Hill

$1.06 per hour

Meal allowance

More than 1 hours’ overtime without 24 hours notice

$20.01 per occasion

Further 4 hours overtime additional 

$18.14 per occasion

Special clothing allowance 

FT/PT

$6.25 per week 

Casual 

$1.25 per shift

Motor vehicle 

$0.91 per km

Get your free record-keeping factsheet that includes Fair Work's requirements to remain compliant

Copyright © 2024 PaidRight. All rights reserved.