Electrical Contracting Award.
Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting 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.
Electrical Contracting Award pay rates and penalties.
Dollar rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the Annual Wage Review increase. Penalty rates verified against the MA000025 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
10 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
- Grade 1Electrical worker grade 1, labourer
- Grade 2Electrical worker grade 2, assisting a tradesperson
- Grade 3Electrical worker grade 3, storework, plant driving, or installing alarms and data cabling under supervision
- Grade 4Electrical worker grade 4, purchasing clerk/storeperson or electronic equipment installer level 2
- Grade 5Electrical worker grade 5, electrical tradesperson level 1 (trade certificate or Certificate III)
- Grade 6Electrical worker grade 6, electrical tradesperson level 2
- Grade 7Electrical worker grade 7, electrician special class (post-trade certificate or Certificate IV)
- Grade 8Electrical worker grade 8, advanced electrical tradesperson level 1
- Grade 9Electrical worker grade 9, advanced electrical tradesperson level 2 (Advanced Certificate or Diploma)
- Grade 10Electrical worker grade 10, advanced electrical tradesperson level 3 (Associate or Advanced Diploma)
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 MA000025 award text as consolidated by the Fair Work Commission, reflecting Annual Wage Review [2026] FWCFB 3500, effective 1 July 2026.
- Penalty rates and allowances
- MA000025 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% | See notes |
| Sunday | 200% | See notes |
| Public holiday | 250% | See notes |
| Afternoon shift | 115% | See notes |
| Night shift | 115% | See notes |
| Permanent night shift | 130% | See notes |
This award combines casual loading differently depending on the penalty. Some casual penalties substitute for the full-time rate rather than adding to it, so the casual column cannot be derived by adding 25% across the board. The stream detail below and the coverage notes give the specific rates.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Electrical worker grade 1, labourer | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Grade 2 | Electrical worker grade 2, assisting a tradesperson | $1,013.10 | $26.66 | $33.33 |
| Grade 3 | Electrical worker grade 3, storework, plant driving, or installing alarms and data cabling under supervision | $1,046.90 | $27.55 | $34.44 |
| Grade 4 | Electrical worker grade 4, purchasing clerk/storeperson or electronic equipment installer level 2 | $1,080.60 | $28.44 | $35.55 |
| Grade 5 | Electrical worker grade 5, electrical tradesperson level 1 (trade certificate or Certificate III) | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Grade 6 | Electrical worker grade 6, electrical tradesperson level 2 | $1,154.30 | $30.38 | $37.98 |
| Grade 7 | Electrical worker grade 7, electrician special class (post-trade certificate or Certificate IV) | $1,221.10 | $32.13 | $40.16 |
| Grade 8 | Electrical worker grade 8, advanced electrical tradesperson level 1 | $1,283.10 | $33.77 | $42.21 |
| Grade 9 | Electrical worker grade 9, advanced electrical tradesperson level 2 (Advanced Certificate or Diploma) | $1,309.50 | $34.46 | $43.08 |
| Grade 10 | Electrical worker grade 10, advanced electrical tradesperson level 3 (Associate or Advanced Diploma) | $1,415.00 | $37.24 | $46.55 |
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 MA000025 award text as consolidated to 1 July 2026.
Hourly and casual hourly rates above exclude the $41.41 a week industry allowance paid to every employee, the $22.31 a week tool allowance (grade 5 and above, and some servicepersons), and any other clause 18.3 allowance that applies to you. All are paid for all purposes (clause 18.2(a)), so they are added before overtime, penalties, loadings and leave (clauses 2 and 16.3).
Allowances
Paid on top of the base rate. Amounts effective from 1 July 2026.
| Allowance | Amount | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry allowance | $41.41 | per week | Paid to every employee for all purposes (cl 18.3(a), 16.3), so it is added to the minimum rate before penalties, overtime, leave and the casual loading are applied. The hourly and casual rates above exclude it. Schedule B includes it, putting grade 1 at $27.53 an hour ($34.41 casual) and grade 5, with the tool allowance, at $31.13 ($38.91 casual). |
| Tool allowance | $22.31 | per week | For grade 5 and above, and for television antenna installers and television, radio or electronic equipment servicepersons (cl 18.3(g)). Paid for all purposes. Last varied ppc 1 July 2024, so it did not move in the 2025 or 2026 reviews. |
| Electrician's licence allowance | $40.29 | per week | For an electrical mechanic who holds an unrestricted licence and may be required to use it (cl 18.3(b)). Paid for all purposes but not included in the Schedule B hourly rates, so by our calculation a licensed grade 5 electrician is on $1,223.11 a week, $32.19 an hour. |
| Leading hands allowance | $48.12 - $90.65 | per week | $48.12 in charge of 3 to 10 employees, $67.15 for 11 to 20, $90.65 for more than 20, paid above the highest classification supervised or the leading hand's own rate, whichever is higher. All-purpose (cl 18.3(c)). |
| Distribution line maintenance and tree clearing allowance | $86.17 | per week | For employees on tree clearing and maintenance of electrical distribution lines. All-purpose (cl 18.3(e)). |
| First aid allowance | $23.50 | per week | For a holder of current first aid qualifications appointed by the employer to perform first aid duty (cl 18.4(c)). |
| Multistorey allowance | $0.77 - $2.33 | per hour | All employees on site constructing a building of 5 or more storey levels: $0.77 up to 15 floors, $0.94 for 16 to 30, $1.44 for 31 to 45, $1.83 for 46 to 60, $2.33 above 60 (cl 18.4(a)). Not subject to penalty additions (cl 18.2(b)). |
| Travel time allowance | $8.69 | per day | Paid to all employees for each day they present for work, and for rostered days off (cl 18.6(c)). Does not apply where the employee is required to start and finish at the employer's registered office or depot (cl 18.6(e)). |
| Start or finish on job site | $28.26 | per day | Where required to start or finish on a job site up to 50 km from the registered office or depot; $5.07 per day instead where the employer offers free transport (cl 18.6(d)). |
| Motor vehicle allowance | $1.00 | per km | By agreement, for use of your own vehicle for excess travel to a job, recall to overtime, travel between depot and jobs or distant work (cl 18.6(b)), and for business use at the employer's request (cl 18.6(f)). |
| Meal allowance | $20.60 | per meal | For overtime of 2 or more hours without notice the previous day, unless a meal is supplied (cl 18.5(a)). The same amount is paid per meal on distant work where meals are not included in accommodation (cl 18.7(a)(iii)). |
| Living away allowance | $720.10 | per week | On distant work, where the employer does not provide reasonable board and lodging. Not wages (cl 18.7(a)). |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 (MA000025) and the NES.
Award-specific provisions.
Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.
Shift workers as defined receive a 5th week of 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 worked as 8-hour days with a paid rostered day off, commonly one RDO per 4-week cycle taken in the fourth week. Work performed on an RDO is overtime.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Electrical Contracting 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.
Who this award covers.
The Electrical Contracting Award (MA000025) is the common name for the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020. Industries, work types and exclusions are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.
Industries
Work types
Notes & exclusions. Ordinary hours are Monday to Friday. For day workers, Saturday is overtime at 150% for the first 2 hours then 200%; Sunday is 200%; public holidays are 250% (minimum 4-hour engagement on weekends and public holidays). Shift loadings are afternoon 115%, rotating night 115% and permanent (non-rotating) night 130%. The pay table shows the clause 16.2 minimum rates. On top of them, every employee gets the $41.41 a week industry allowance, and grade 5 and above get the $22.31 tool allowance. Both are paid for all purposes, so they flow into overtime, penalties, leave and the casual loading: a grade 5 electrician's ordinary hourly rate is $31.13 (Schedule B), not $29.45. Electricians in general manufacturing fall under the Manufacturing Award; plumbers and gasfitters under the Plumbing Award. Maintaining electric power distribution lines is electrical contracting work under clause 4.3(a) when a contractor does it, and contractors covered by this award are excluded from the Electrical Power Industry Award, which covers generation, transmission, distribution and retail businesses and their own employees (MA000088 clauses 4.2(a) and 4.3(a)).
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01Electrical worker grade 1 (labourer)
- 02Electrical worker grade 2 (assisting a tradesperson)
- 03Electrical worker grade 3
- 04Electrical worker grade 4
- 05Electrical worker grade 5 (electrical tradesperson level 1)
- 06Electrical worker grade 6 (electrical tradesperson level 2)
- 07Electrical worker grade 7 (electrician special class)
- 08Electrical worker grade 8 (advanced electrical tradesperson level 1)
- 09Electrical worker grade 9 (advanced electrical tradesperson level 2)
- 10Electrical worker grade 10 (advanced electrical tradesperson level 3)
- 11apprentice
Electrical Contracting Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000025. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Electrical Contracting Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Electrical Contracting Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Electrical Contracting Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Electrical Contracting Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Electrical Contracting Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated under the Electrical Contracting Award?
What is the casual loading under the Electrical Contracting Award?
Does the Electrical Contracting Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Does the Electrical Contracting Award have evening or night-shift loadings?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Electrical Contracting Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 (MA000025) 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.