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.
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| 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 4.75% 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
6 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
- Level 1Construction worker (entry)
- Level 2Construction worker (experienced)
- Level 3Tradesperson (CW3)
- Level 4Advanced tradesperson (CW4)
- Level 5Leading hand
- Level 6Site supervisor
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
- FWO Pay Guides and FWC Annual Wage Review [2026] FWCFB 3500, effective 1 July 2026.
- Penalty rates and allowances
- MA000020 on awards.fairwork.gov.au, the official award text.
- Industry figures
- ABS Labour Force, May 2026; ABS EEH, Aug 2025. Covers the broader industry, not only employees under this award.
- 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Construction worker (entry) | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Level 2 | Construction worker (experienced) | $1,087.40 | $28.62 | $35.78 |
| Level 3 | Tradesperson (CW3) | $1,157.80 | $30.47 | $38.09 |
| Level 4 | Advanced tradesperson (CW4) | $1,267.40 | $33.35 | $41.69 |
| Level 5 | Leading hand | $1,388.90 | $36.55 | $45.69 |
| Level 6 | Site supervisor | $1,547.80 | $40.73 | $50.91 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase. Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual rates include the 25% loading on top of the hourly rate. Source: FWO Pay Guides.
Allowances
Paid on top of the base rate. Amounts effective from 1 July 2026.
| Allowance | Amount | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool allowance | $22.40 | per week | For tradespeople required to supply their own tools. |
| Industry allowance | $42.30 | per week | For work on commercial construction sites. |
| Site allowance | $3.85 - $6.50 | per hour | Scaled by project value and type. |
| Travel allowance | $24.60 | per day | For travel to sites more than 50km from the workshop. |
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).
Standard 17.5% on minimum hourly rate. Shift workers receive the GREATER OF 17.5% or the shift penalty they would have earned during the leave. 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 formal RDO and 30+ industry allowances (tool, height, wet, dirt). Includes labour-hire businesses placed on covered sites.
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01labourer
- 02forklift driver
- 03excavator operator
- 04concrete worker
- 05bricklayer
- 06carpenter
- 07plasterer
- 08painter
- 09scaffolder
- 10tile layer
- 11apprentice
- 12traffic controller
- 13metal tradesperson
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 for shift workers 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.