Waste Management Award.
Waste Management 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.
Waste Management 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 MA000043 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 1Waste collection worker (entry)
- Level 2Driver / plant operator
- Level 3Experienced driver / multi-skilled operator
- Level 4Leading hand
- Level 5Supervisor
- Level 6Site coordinator / weighbridge controller
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
- MA000043 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 | 117.5% | 142.5% |
| 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 | Waste collection worker (entry) | $1,011.90 | $26.63 | $33.29 |
| Level 2 | Driver / plant operator | $1,098.70 | $28.91 | $36.14 |
| Level 3 | Experienced driver / multi-skilled operator | $1,178.60 | $31.02 | $38.78 |
| Level 4 | Leading hand | $1,294.50 | $34.07 | $42.59 |
| Level 5 | Supervisor | $1,438.70 | $37.86 | $47.33 |
| Level 6 | Site coordinator / weighbridge controller | $1,567.80 | $41.26 | $51.58 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry allowance | $31.80 | per week | Compensation for the nature of waste management work. |
| Protective clothing allowance | $18.90 | per week | For employees required to wear protective equipment and clothing. |
| First aid allowance | $15.90 | per week | For appointed first aid officers at waste facilities. |
| Leading hand allowance | $27.60 | per week | For employees in charge of 3 or more workers. |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Waste Management Award 2020 (MA000043) 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 13.3(a) sets the default ordinary-hours pattern as 19 days of 8 hours over a 4-week cycle, giving one rostered day off every 28 days on a 38-hour week. Up to 10 RDOs may be accumulated over 40 weeks.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Waste Management 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 Waste Management Award (MA000043) is the common name for the Waste Management 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%, and Sunday is a flat 200% with a 4-hour minimum. Day workers have no ordinary hours on a weekend, so all weekend work is overtime at the same rates. Unusually, casuals do not receive the 25% loading on overtime: they get the full-time overtime rate plus 10%. Distinct from the Water Industry Award (MA000113).
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01depot hand
- 02labourer
- 03weighbridge operator
- 04waste vehicle driver
- 05articulated vehicle driver
- 06earthmoving plant operator
Waste Management Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000043. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Waste Management Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Waste Management Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Waste Management Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Waste Management Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Waste Management Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated for shift workers under the Waste Management Award?
What is the casual loading under the Waste Management Award?
Does the Waste Management Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Does the Waste Management Award have evening or night-shift loadings?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Waste Management Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Waste Management Award 2020 (MA000043) 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.