Higher Education (General Staff) Award.
Higher Education Industry-General Staff-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.
Higher Education (General Staff) 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 MA000007 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
34 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
- HEW 1.1HEW Level 1.1 ($53,820.31 a year)
- HEW 1.2HEW Level 1.2 ($54,626.47 a year)
- HEW 1.3HEW Level 1.3 ($55,432.58 a year)
- HEW 2.1HEW Level 2.1 ($56,406.40 a year)
- HEW 2.2HEW Level 2.2 ($57,249.63 a year)
- HEW 3.1HEW Level 3.1 ($58,438.58 a year, the award standard rate)
- HEW 3.2HEW Level 3.2 ($59,450.44 a year)
- HEW 3.3HEW Level 3.3 ($60,462.34 a year)
- HEW 3.4HEW Level 3.4 ($61,474.20 a year)
- HEW 3.5HEW Level 3.5 ($62,310.67 a year)
- HEW 4.1HEW Level 4.1 ($63,659.85 a year)
- HEW 4.2HEW Level 4.2 ($64,840.33 a year)
- HEW 4.3HEW Level 4.3 ($66,020.87 a year)
- HEW 5.1HEW Level 5.1 ($66,928.49 a year)
- HEW 5.2HEW Level 5.2 ($68,311.39 a year)
- HEW 5.3HEW Level 5.3 ($69,219.18 a year)
- HEW 5.4HEW Level 5.4 ($70,602.08 a year)
- HEW 5.5HEW Level 5.5 ($71,984.98 a year)
- HEW 6.1HEW Level 6.1 ($73,705.15 a year)
- HEW 6.2HEW Level 6.2 ($75,088.05 a year)
- HEW 6.3HEW Level 6.3 ($76,295.56 a year)
- HEW 6.4HEW Level 6.4 ($77,678.45 a year)
- HEW 7.1HEW Level 7.1 ($79,255.31 a year)
- HEW 7.2HEW Level 7.2 ($80,941.76 a year)
- HEW 7.3HEW Level 7.3 ($82,628.22 a year)
- HEW 7.4HEW Level 7.4 ($84,314.68 a year)
- HEW 8.1HEW Level 8.1 ($86,338.43 a year)
- HEW 8.2HEW Level 8.2 ($89,036.76 a year)
- HEW 8.3HEW Level 8.3 ($91,735.07 a year)
- HEW 8.4HEW Level 8.4 ($94,433.37 a year)
- HEW 9.1HEW Level 9.1 ($97,300.40 a year)
- HEW 9.2HEW Level 9.2 ($99,998.74 a year)
- HEW 9.3HEW Level 9.3 ($102,697.06 a year)
- HEW 10.1HEW Level 10.1 ($102,865.66 a year)
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
- MA000007 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 | 150% | See notes |
| Sunday | 200% | See notes |
| Public holiday | 250% | See notes |
| Evening, shift finishing after 6pm and at or before midnight (afternoon), after midnight to 8am (night) | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEW 1.1 | HEW Level 1.1 ($53,820.31 a year) | $1,035.01 | $27.24 | $34.05 |
| HEW 1.2 | HEW Level 1.2 ($54,626.47 a year) | $1,050.51 | $27.65 | $34.56 |
| HEW 1.3 | HEW Level 1.3 ($55,432.58 a year) | $1,066.01 | $28.05 | $35.06 |
| HEW 2.1 | HEW Level 2.1 ($56,406.40 a year) | $1,084.74 | $28.55 | $35.69 |
| HEW 2.2 | HEW Level 2.2 ($57,249.63 a year) | $1,100.95 | $28.97 | $36.21 |
| HEW 3.1 | HEW Level 3.1 ($58,438.58 a year, the award standard rate) | $1,123.82 | $29.57 | $36.96 |
| HEW 3.2 | HEW Level 3.2 ($59,450.44 a year) | $1,143.28 | $30.09 | $37.61 |
| HEW 3.3 | HEW Level 3.3 ($60,462.34 a year) | $1,162.74 | $30.60 | $38.25 |
| HEW 3.4 | HEW Level 3.4 ($61,474.20 a year) | $1,182.20 | $31.11 | $38.89 |
| HEW 3.5 | HEW Level 3.5 ($62,310.67 a year) | $1,198.28 | $31.53 | $39.41 |
| HEW 4.1 | HEW Level 4.1 ($63,659.85 a year) | $1,224.23 | $32.22 | $40.28 |
| HEW 4.2 | HEW Level 4.2 ($64,840.33 a year) | $1,246.93 | $32.81 | $41.01 |
| HEW 4.3 | HEW Level 4.3 ($66,020.87 a year) | $1,269.63 | $33.41 | $41.76 |
| HEW 5.1 | HEW Level 5.1 ($66,928.49 a year) | $1,287.09 | $33.87 | $42.34 |
| HEW 5.2 | HEW Level 5.2 ($68,311.39 a year) | $1,313.68 | $34.57 | $43.21 |
| HEW 5.3 | HEW Level 5.3 ($69,219.18 a year) | $1,331.14 | $35.03 | $43.79 |
| HEW 5.4 | HEW Level 5.4 ($70,602.08 a year) | $1,357.73 | $35.73 | $44.66 |
| HEW 5.5 | HEW Level 5.5 ($71,984.98 a year) | $1,384.33 | $36.43 | $45.54 |
| HEW 6.1 | HEW Level 6.1 ($73,705.15 a year) | $1,417.41 | $37.30 | $46.63 |
| HEW 6.2 | HEW Level 6.2 ($75,088.05 a year) | $1,444.00 | $38.00 | $47.50 |
| HEW 6.3 | HEW Level 6.3 ($76,295.56 a year) | $1,467.22 | $38.61 | $48.26 |
| HEW 6.4 | HEW Level 6.4 ($77,678.45 a year) | $1,493.82 | $39.31 | $49.14 |
| HEW 7.1 | HEW Level 7.1 ($79,255.31 a year) | $1,524.14 | $40.11 | $50.14 |
| HEW 7.2 | HEW Level 7.2 ($80,941.76 a year) | $1,556.57 | $40.96 | $51.20 |
| HEW 7.3 | HEW Level 7.3 ($82,628.22 a year) | $1,589.00 | $41.82 | $52.28 |
| HEW 7.4 | HEW Level 7.4 ($84,314.68 a year) | $1,621.44 | $42.67 | $53.34 |
| HEW 8.1 | HEW Level 8.1 ($86,338.43 a year) | $1,660.35 | $43.69 | $54.61 |
| HEW 8.2 | HEW Level 8.2 ($89,036.76 a year) | $1,712.25 | $45.06 | $56.33 |
| HEW 8.3 | HEW Level 8.3 ($91,735.07 a year) | $1,764.14 | $46.42 | $58.03 |
| HEW 8.4 | HEW Level 8.4 ($94,433.37 a year) | $1,816.03 | $47.79 | $59.74 |
| HEW 9.1 | HEW Level 9.1 ($97,300.40 a year) | $1,871.16 | $49.24 | $61.55 |
| HEW 9.2 | HEW Level 9.2 ($99,998.74 a year) | $1,923.05 | $50.61 | $63.26 |
| HEW 9.3 | HEW Level 9.3 ($102,697.06 a year) | $1,974.94 | $51.97 | $64.96 |
| HEW 10.1 | HEW Level 10.1 ($102,865.66 a year) | $1,978.19 | $52.06 | $65.08 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleepover allowance | $59.67 | per occurrence | Schedule C.1.2, 5.31% of the standard rate. For staff permanently residing on campus required to sleep over outside ordinary hours. The period does not start before 10.00 pm. Work of more than one hour during the sleepover is paid under the overtime provisions on top. |
| First aid allowance | $16.30 | per week | Schedule C.1.3, 1.45% of the standard rate. Building services, security, storage services and trades staff only. |
| Leading hand allowance | $34.16 - $68.55 | per week | Schedule C.1.3, trades staff only. $34.16 in charge of 3 to 10 employees, $53.94 for 11 to 20, $68.55 for more than 20. |
| Broken shift allowance | $3.15 | per day | Schedule C.1.3, 0.28% of the standard rate, capped at $15.51 per week. Catering and retail staff and security staff only. |
| Cold work allowance | $0.67 | per hour | Schedule C.1.3, 0.06% of the standard rate, for work in temperatures reduced below 0 degrees C by artificial means. The same 0.06% rate covers hot work, wet work, heights above 9 m, confined spaces, insulation materials, toxic substances, dirty work and asbestos. |
| Overtime meal allowance | $21.63 | per occurrence | Schedule C.2.1. Weekdays, approved overtime of more than 2 hours beyond ordinary hours. Saturday and Sunday, approved overtime of more than 5 hours. Not paid where a meal is provided or the employee can reasonably go home for a meal. |
| Vehicle allowance | ATO rate, not stated in the award | per kilometre | Schedule C.2.1. The award sets no cents-per-kilometre figure. It pays an "allowance in accordance with the Australian Taxation Office guidelines as at 1 July each year", so check the current ATO rate. Any number you see quoted as an MA000007 rate is not in the award. |
| Compensation for damage to clothing and personal effects | up to $359.36 | per occurrence | Schedule C.2.2, storage and trades staff. Tools lost by fire or theft are compensated up to $1,239 for maintenance carpenters, joiners and painters. |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award 2020 (MA000007) and the NES.
Award-specific provisions.
Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.
A 7 day shiftworker who is regularly rostered to work on Sundays and public holidays in an institution where shifts are continuously rostered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (clause 2, applied by clause 24.2). The award never uses the phrase "continuous shiftworker".
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. The 17.5% is calculated on the ordinary rate of pay paid during the leave period, and it is capped at the ABS weekly earnings figure for all males (Australia) for the preceding May quarter, which the award does not state in dollars (clause 24.3(a)). Run the numbers in the annual leave loading calculator.
No formal RDO accrual cycle in this award. Time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL) may still be available.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Higher Education (General Staff) 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 Higher Education (General Staff) Award (MA000007) is the common name for the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award 2020. Industries, work types and exclusions are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.
Industries
Work types
Notes & exclusions. The hourly rates below are the 38 hour ones. If you are PACCT staff (professional, administrative, clerical, computing and technical) your ordinary week is 36.75 hours, so your minimum hourly rate is the same annual salary divided by 36.75 rather than 38, about 3.4% higher. Same salary, different hourly rate. The second thing people get wrong is stacking. Clauses 22.7 and 23.3 say penalties are not cumulative and the highest single rate applies, so a night shift on a Sunday pays 200%, not 130% plus 200%. Third, a casual on a public holiday gets 250%, not 275%: public holidays are rated through the clause 22.1 overtime table and the casual loading is not paid on overtime. Casual Saturday is 175%, Sunday 225%, afternoon and night 140%, non-rotating night 155%, all additive. Paid overtime stops at HEW 6. HEW 7 and 8 get time off instead, HEW 9 and above normally get neither. Academic staff sit under MA000006, not here. The vehicle allowance has no rate in the award: it defers to the ATO guidelines current at 1 July.
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01HEW Level 1 (cleaner, labourer)
- 02HEW Level 2 (administrative assistant, security patrol officer)
- 03HEW Level 3 (tradesperson, technical assistant)
- 04HEW Level 4 (technical officer)
- 05HEW Level 5 (graduate or professional on entry)
- 06HEW Level 6 (line manager, technical specialist)
- 07HEW Level 7 (senior librarian, technical manager)
- 08HEW Level 8 (manager, researcher)
- 09HEW Level 9 (senior researcher)
- 10HEW Level 10 (senior program or research manager)
Higher Education (General Staff) Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000007. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Higher Education (General Staff) Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Higher Education (General Staff) Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Higher Education (General Staff) Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Higher Education (General Staff) Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Higher Education (General Staff) Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated under the Higher Education (General Staff) Award?
What is the casual loading under the Higher Education (General Staff) Award?
Does the Higher Education (General Staff) Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Does the Higher Education (General Staff) Award have evening or night-shift loadings?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Higher Education (General Staff) Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award 2020 (MA000007) 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.