Building & Construction Award.
Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020. Verified penalty rates, shift loadings, leave loading and RDO arrangements, with a live calculator under the NES.
Pop in your details
Here's your entitlement
See full calculation
| Component | Formula | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual rate (FULL-TIME) | 4 wks × 38h ÷ 52 | 2.923 hrs/wk |
| Hours accrued | 2.923 × 52 wks | 152.42 hrs |
| Hourly base rate | - | $35.00 |
| Base leave value | 152.42 × $35.00 | $5,334.62 |
| 17.5% leave loading | base × 0.175 | + $933.56 |
| Total payout | - | $6,268.17 |
Disclaimer: This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation or your circumstances. This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not recommend taking actions based solely on these results. The calculator makes assumptions and results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation, modern awards, or your personal circumstances. You use this information at your own risk. We can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. For official guidance, visit Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au). Fair Work Ombudsman.
Building & Construction Award pay rates and penalties.
Dollar rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the Annual Wage Review increase. Penalty rates verified against the MA000020 award text.
Penalty rates by shift type
What each hour is worth as a percentage of the base rate, for permanent and casual employees.
Hourly rate by classification level
16 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
- CW/ECW 1 (level a)Construction worker level 1, new entrant on commencement in the industry, e.g. builders labourer, general hand
- CW/ECW 1 (level b)Construction worker level 1, after 3 months in the industry
- CW/ECW 1 (level c)Construction worker level 1, after 12 months in the industry
- CW/ECW 1 (level d)Construction worker level 1, on fulfilling the CW/ECW 1 requirements, e.g. concrete gang worker, steel erector
- CW/ECW 2Construction worker level 2, e.g. scaffolder, steelfixer, traffic controller, concrete finisher
- CW/ECW 3Construction worker level 3, tradesperson, e.g. carpenter, bricklayer, plasterer, painter, tilelayer, rigger, dogger
- CW/ECW 4Construction worker level 4, e.g. joiner special class, excavator up to 0.5 cubic metres, mobile crane up to 10 ton
- CW/ECW 5Construction worker level 5, special class tradesperson level I, e.g. grader, excavator above 0.5 cubic metres, refractory bricklayer
- CW/ECW 6Construction worker level 6, special class tradesperson level II, e.g. electronics or instrumentation and control tradesperson
- CW/ECW 7Construction worker level 7, special class tradesperson level III, e.g. dogger-crane hand (fixed cranes), sub-foreperson
- CW/ECW 8Construction worker level 8, advanced tradesperson level I, e.g. carpenter-diver, foreperson (as defined)
- ECW 9Engineering construction worker level 9, advanced engineering construction tradesperson level II
- Foreperson: 3+ tradespersonsForeperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising 3 or more tradespersons
- Foreperson: otherForeperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising other than 3 or more tradespersons
- General foreperson: 3+ tradespersonsGeneral foreperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising 3 or more tradespersons
- General foreperson: otherGeneral foreperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising other than 3 or more tradespersons
National Minimum Wage, 4-year trend
Lifted each year by the Annual Wage Review. Up 23.7% since FY2023. Percentages are the movement in the NMW itself, which exceeded the award increase in the years the Commission realigned it to the C13 rate.
Where these numbers come from
- Dollar rates
- The MA000020 award text as consolidated by the Fair Work Commission, reflecting Annual Wage Review [2026] FWCFB 3500, effective 1 July 2026.
- Penalty rates and allowances
- MA000020 on awards.fairwork.gov.au, the official award text.
- Your own figures
- Check your classification in the FWO Pay Calculator.
Penalty rates in full
Every loading in the award, side by side for full-time, part-time and casual employees.
| Hours worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual (incl. loading) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday (first 2h / after) | 150% / 200% | 175% / 225% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
| Afternoon shift | 150% | 175% |
| Night shift | 150% | 175% |
| Permanent night shift | 130% | 155% |
All values are percentages of the base hourly rate. Casual rates shown are inclusive of the 25% casual loading on top of the FT/PT rate. For your own dollar amounts, use the FWO Pay Calculator.
These are the percentages. To turn them into dollars for a specific roster, the penalty rates calculator prices Saturday, Sunday, public holiday and shift hours against this award’s own classification rates.
Pay rates by classification
Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual hourly includes the 25% loading.
| Level | Classification | Weekly rate | Hourly rate | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CW/ECW 1 (level a) | Construction worker level 1, new entrant on commencement in the industry, e.g. builders labourer, general hand | $1,013.50 | $26.67 | $33.34 |
| CW/ECW 1 (level b) | Construction worker level 1, after 3 months in the industry | $1,033.50 | $27.20 | $34.00 |
| CW/ECW 1 (level c) | Construction worker level 1, after 12 months in the industry | $1,047.30 | $27.56 | $34.45 |
| CW/ECW 1 (level d) | Construction worker level 1, on fulfilling the CW/ECW 1 requirements, e.g. concrete gang worker, steel erector | $1,066.00 | $28.05 | $35.06 |
| CW/ECW 2 | Construction worker level 2, e.g. scaffolder, steelfixer, traffic controller, concrete finisher | $1,087.50 | $28.62 | $35.78 |
| CW/ECW 3 | Construction worker level 3, tradesperson, e.g. carpenter, bricklayer, plasterer, painter, tilelayer, rigger, dogger | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| CW/ECW 4 | Construction worker level 4, e.g. joiner special class, excavator up to 0.5 cubic metres, mobile crane up to 10 ton | $1,154.40 | $30.38 | $37.98 |
| CW/ECW 5 | Construction worker level 5, special class tradesperson level I, e.g. grader, excavator above 0.5 cubic metres, refractory bricklayer | $1,189.60 | $31.31 | $39.14 |
| CW/ECW 6 | Construction worker level 6, special class tradesperson level II, e.g. electronics or instrumentation and control tradesperson | $1,221.30 | $32.14 | $40.18 |
| CW/ECW 7 | Construction worker level 7, special class tradesperson level III, e.g. dogger-crane hand (fixed cranes), sub-foreperson | $1,256.30 | $33.06 | $41.33 |
| CW/ECW 8 | Construction worker level 8, advanced tradesperson level I, e.g. carpenter-diver, foreperson (as defined) | $1,286.70 | $33.86 | $42.33 |
| ECW 9 | Engineering construction worker level 9, advanced engineering construction tradesperson level II | $1,309.50 | $34.46 | $43.08 |
| Foreperson: 3+ tradespersons | Foreperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising 3 or more tradespersons | $1,202.00 | $31.63 | $39.54 |
| Foreperson: other | Foreperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising other than 3 or more tradespersons | $1,303.00 | $34.29 | $42.86 |
| General foreperson: 3+ tradespersons | General foreperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising 3 or more tradespersons | $1,169.50 | $30.78 | $38.48 |
| General foreperson: other | General foreperson/supervisor, metal and engineering construction, employer of 30 or more, supervising other than 3 or more tradespersons | $1,275.50 | $33.57 | $41.96 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the Annual Wage Review increase. Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual rates include the 25% loading on top of the hourly rate. Source: the MA000020 award text as consolidated to 1 July 2026.
Hourly and casual hourly rates above exclude the industry allowance of $67.15 a week ($53.72 in residential building), which is paid for all purposes (clause 22.3), and any tool, underground, electrician's licence or leading hand allowance that applies to you. Each forms part of the ordinary hourly rate used for overtime, penalties, loadings and leave (clause 2).
Allowances
Paid on top of the base rate. Amounts effective from 1 July 2026.
| Allowance | Amount | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry allowance, general building, civil and metal and engineering construction | $67.15 | per week | Paid for all purposes (cl 22.3), so it is added to the minimum rate before overtime, penalties, leave and the casual loading are applied. The hourly and casual rates above exclude it. The award's ordinary hourly rate includes it (cl 2), which by our calculation puts CW/ECW 1 (level a) at $28.44 an hour and CW/ECW 3 at $31.22. Daily hire employees also get the 52/50.4 follow the job loading (cl 19.3(a)). |
| Industry allowance, residential building | $53.72 | per week | Instead of $67.15, for work on a single or dual occupancy residential building that is not a multistorey building (cl 22.1(b), 22.2(b)). All-purpose, which by our calculation puts CW/ECW 1 (level a) at $28.08 an hour. |
| Tool allowance | $9.89 - $41.22 | per week | All-purpose, by trade (cl 21.1(a)): $41.22 carpenter, joiner, stonemason, tilelayer, floor sander and others; $34.10 caster, fixer, floorlayer specialist or plasterer; $29.26 bricklayer or refractory bricklayer; $21.59 roof tiler, roof fixer and metal and engineering construction tradespersons; $9.89 signwriter, painter or glazier. |
| Leading hand allowance | 2.4% - 9.0% of the weekly rate | per week | Of the highest classification supervised or the leading hand's own rate, whichever is higher: 2.4% for 1 person, 5.3% for 2 to 5, 6.7% for 6 to 10, 9.0% for more than 10 (cl 19.2). At CW/ECW 3 that is $26.86, $59.31, $74.98 or $100.72, our calculation. Part of the ordinary hourly rate. |
| Fares and travel pattern allowance | $22.41 | per day | For each day you start and finish on a construction site (cl 26.1(a)). Not paid where the employer provides free transport or a fully maintained vehicle. Sites outside your metropolitan area and more than 50 km from home attract the distant work payment instead (cl 26.4). |
| Overtime meal allowance | $19.74 | per meal | After at least 1.5 hours of overtime following ordinary hours (cl 21.2(a)). Operators also get $19.74 after each 4 hours of overtime (cl 21.2(c)). |
| Living away from home allowance | $102.92 | per day | On distant work, the greater of $102.92 a day or full reimbursement of reasonable accommodation and meals, unless the employer provides them (cl 25.3). Camp meal allowance is $266.44 a week (cl 25.4(b)). |
| Multistorey allowance | $0.77 - $2.24 | per hour | All employees on site building or renovating a building of 5 or more storeys: $0.77 to the 15th floor, $0.91 to the 30th, $1.41 to the 45th, $1.83 to the 60th, $2.24 from the 61st (cl 23.3(e)). Structures without regular storeys pay $0.94 per hour above 15 metres and per further 15 metres (cl 23.3(d)). |
| First aid allowance | $4.03 or $6.38 | per day | $4.03 for the minimum recognised qualification, $6.38 for a higher first aid certificate, where appointed and required to hold it (cl 23.6). |
| Underground allowance | $20.14 | per week | For a non-operator required to work underground, paid for all purposes; $4.48 per day or shift if underground for 4 or fewer days or shifts in a week (cl 23.2). |
| Electrician's licence allowance | $35.81 | per week | For an electrical tradesperson holding the relevant state electrician's licence. Paid for all purposes (cl 23.8). |
| Vehicle allowance | $1.00 | per km | Using your own vehicle to travel between construction sites during working hours (cl 26.2(b)). On distant work travel it is $0.60 per km (cl 26.4(b)(ii)). |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 (MA000020) and the NES.
Award-specific provisions.
Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.
Continuous-shift workers (rotating shifts on continuous production processes such as plant operations) get 5 weeks annual leave under NES s.87(1)(b).
Day workers get a flat 17.5% on the minimum hourly rate. Shift workers get the greater of 17.5% or the weekend and shift penalties they would have earned. Run the numbers in the annual leave loading calculator.
38-hour week with 0.4 hours/day RDO accrual, giving one paid RDO every 4 weeks. Standard on commercial construction sites.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Building & Construction Award sets your pay rates, but your paid leave runs on the National Employment Standards. Work out 4 weeks of holidays with the annual leave calculator, and your 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave with the personal leave calculator. To confirm which award applies to you and how it lifts entitlements above the NES floor, read our guide to modern awards.
Building and construction workers also accrue long service leave through an industry scheme rather than a single employer. See portable long service leave for the scheme in each state and territory.
Who this award covers.
The Building & Construction Award (MA000020) is the common name for the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020. Industries, work types and exclusions are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.
Industries
Work types
Notes & exclusions. Saturday is 150% for the first 2 hours then 200%. Includes a formal RDO system and an all-purpose industry allowance of $67.15 a week ($53.72 in residential building), plus tool allowances of $9.89 to $41.22 a week depending on the trade, a $22.41 daily fares and travel allowance and multistorey allowances. The foreperson and supervisor rates in the pay table apply only in metal and engineering construction to employers of 30 or more employees (clause 43.1), and are shown as clause 43.2 prints them, although general forepersons are paid less than forepersons and supervising 3 or more tradespersons pays less than the other column. Includes labour-hire businesses placed on covered sites. Building, repairing or maintaining power houses and power transmission towers is civil construction under clause 4.3(b)(i), and contractors covered by this award are excluded from the Electrical Power Industry Award (MA000088 clause 4.3(a)). Batch plants and precast yards at a construction site for civil construction work are covered here (clause 4.3(b)(v)). Making concrete pipes, blocks, pavers, slabs, tiles or panels away from a construction site is not on-site work, and the Concrete Products Award covers the manufacture of those products (MA000056 clause 4.2). Clause 16.2 accrues 0.4 of an hour towards an RDO for each 8 hour day worked. The 9 day fortnight calculator has a preset for this award.
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01CW/ECW 1 labourer (e.g. builders labourer, concrete gang worker)
- 02CW/ECW 2 (e.g. scaffolder, steelfixer, traffic controller)
- 03CW/ECW 3 tradesperson (e.g. carpenter, bricklayer, plasterer, painter, tilelayer, rigger, dogger)
- 04CW/ECW 4 (e.g. excavator up to 0.5 cubic metres, joiner special class)
- 05CW/ECW 5 to 8 special class and advanced tradespersons and larger plant operators
- 06ECW 9 advanced engineering construction tradesperson
- 07foreperson and supervisor (metal and engineering construction)
- 08apprentice
Building & Construction Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000020. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Building & Construction Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Building & Construction Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Building & Construction Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Building & Construction Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Building & Construction Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated under the Building & Construction Award?
What is the casual loading under the Building & Construction Award?
Does the Building & Construction Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Does the Building & Construction Award have evening or night-shift loadings?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Building & Construction Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 (MA000020) on the Fair Work Commission's awards.fairwork.gov.au.
For up-to-date pay rates by classification, refer to the FWO Pay Calculator. Modern awards are reviewed and varied periodically by the Fair Work Commission; check the source for the latest text.