Nurses Award.

Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) covers health, medical services. Common roles include nursing assistants, enrolled nurses, student enrolled nurses, registered nurses. All employees receive 5 weeks annual leave; shiftworkers regularly rostered over 7 days who regularly work weekends and public holidays receive 6 weeks (clause 22.2). Leave loading is the higher of 17.5% or the shift penalties (clause 22.5(b)). Shift loadings and overtime rates do not apply to Registered nurse levels 4 and 5 (clauses 20.2(e), 19.1(b)). It does not cover nurses employed by primary or secondary schools (clause 4.3), or nursing assistants caring for aged persons in aged care or home care (clause 4.4), who are covered by the Aged Care Award or the SCHADS Award. Allied health professionals such as physiotherapists are covered by the Health Professionals Award. Enrolled nurses, registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in aged care are paid separate rates under clause 15.3, which are higher than the clause 15.1 rates, and the aged care enrolled nurse and registered nurse rates were varied again from 1 August 2026.

Full-time and part-time employees are paid 150% of the base hourly rate (1.50x) for working on Saturday. Casuals receive a rate that varies by penalty under this award, so check the coverage notes.

FT/PT employees are paid 175% of the base hourly rate (1.75x) for Sunday work. Casuals receive a rate that varies by penalty under this award, so check the coverage notes.

FT/PT employees who work on a gazetted public holiday are paid 200% of the base hourly rate (2.00x). Casuals receive a rate that varies by penalty under this award, so check the coverage notes. Employees who don't work the holiday receive their ordinary day's pay if it would otherwise have been a working day.

Every full-time employee gets 5 weeks of paid annual leave a year under the Nurses Award, above the NES minimum of 4. All employees receive 5 weeks annual leave (4 weeks NES plus 1 additional week under clause 22.2(a)). Shiftworkers regularly rostered over 7 days who regularly work weekends and public holidays receive 6 weeks (clause 22.2(c)). Calculate annual leave accrual →

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. Leave loading calculator →

25% on top of the base hourly rate, paid in place of entitlements a casual does not get, such as paid annual leave and paid personal/carer's leave. Under this award the casual loading does NOT simply add to the penalty rates: check the penalty table, because a casual can be paid a different rate from the FT/PT rate plus loading.

No. The Nurses Award does not include a formal RDO accrual cycle. Time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL) may still be available where the employer and employee agree, but it works differently from a formal RDO and is not automatically accrued.

Yes. Under this award, afternoon-shift work attracts 112.5% of the base hourly rate (1.13x); night-shift work attracts 115% of the base hourly rate (1.15x). For casuals, the casual loading does not simply add to these penalty rates: see the penalty table and coverage notes.

The Fair Work Commission reviews award minimum rates each year in the Annual Wage Review. The rates on this page took effect from 1 July 2026, except rows in the pay table that give a later date. The official source is the FWO Pay Calculator, which always reflects the current rates. Open the FWO Pay Calculator →