Hair and Beauty Award.
Hair and Beauty Industry 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.
Hair and Beauty 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 MA000005 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
7 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
Grey bars fall below the adult national minimum wage. Junior and apprentice classifications are lawfully paid a set percentage of the adult rate under this award.
- Level 1Junior (first year, under 17)
- Level 2Junior (second year)
- Level 3Junior (third year) / adult entry
- Level 4Hairdresser / beauty therapist (qualified)
- Level 5Senior hairdresser / beauty therapist
- Level 6Salon supervisor / leading hand
- Level 7Salon manager
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
- MA000005 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 | 133% | 158% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
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 | Junior (first year, under 17) | $728.60 | $19.17 | $23.96 |
| Level 2 | Junior (second year) | $845.20 | $22.24 | $27.80 |
| Level 3 | Junior (third year) / adult entry | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Level 4 | Hairdresser / beauty therapist (qualified) | $1,087.40 | $28.62 | $35.78 |
| Level 5 | Senior hairdresser / beauty therapist | $1,157.80 | $30.47 | $38.09 |
| Level 6 | Salon supervisor / leading hand | $1,276.40 | $33.59 | $41.99 |
| Level 7 | Salon manager | $1,398.70 | $36.81 | $46.01 |
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 | $18.90 | per week | For hairdressers and beauty therapists required to provide their own tools and equipment. |
| First aid allowance | $14.75 | per week | For appointed first aid officers. |
| Uniform / laundry allowance | $12.40 | per week | When required to wear a uniform or protective clothing. |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2020 (MA000005) and the NES.
Award-specific provisions.
Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.
Standard NES floor of 4 weeks per year of full-time service. Pro-rata for part-time.
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.
Clause 23.3 provides a named rostered day off. Work on an RDO is paid 200% at any time of day (Table 14), and all overtime on an RDO is 200% (Table 13). Clause 14.5 lets a full-time employee average 38 ordinary hours per week over up to 4 weeks.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Hair and Beauty 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 Hair and Beauty Award (MA000005) is the common name for the Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2020. Industries, work types and exclusions are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.
Industries
Work types
Notes & exclusions. Saturday work between 7am and 6pm is paid 133%, Sunday between 10am and 5pm is 200%, and public holidays are 250% (clause 23). There is no shiftwork clause, so no afternoon or night loadings apply. Overtime is 150% for the first 3 hours then 200%, Monday to Saturday only; Sunday and rostered-day-off overtime is 200% for all hours and public holiday overtime is 250%. Annual leave loading is the greater of 17.5% or the weekend penalty amounts that would have been payable (clause 24.2(c)). Retail-only sales of cosmetics fall under the General Retail Award instead.
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01hairdresser
- 02barber
- 03beauty therapist
- 04nail technician
- 05make-up artist
- 06salon assistant
- 07salon coordinator
- 08apprentice
Hair and Beauty Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000005. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Hair and Beauty Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Hair and Beauty Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Hair and Beauty Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Hair and Beauty Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Hair and Beauty Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated for shift workers under the Hair and Beauty Award?
What is the casual loading under the Hair and Beauty Award?
Does the Hair and Beauty Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Hair and Beauty Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2020 (MA000005) 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.