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 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
9 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
- Level 1Depot hand in training
- Level 2Labourer or depot hand, facility attendant or process worker, offsider to a driver
- Level 3Weighbridge operator, trainee driver up to 14 tonnes GVM, waste vehicle driver up to 4.5 tonnes GVM
- Level 4Truck mounted loading crane or road sweeper driver, incinerator operator, earthmoving plant up to 150 BHP, waste vehicle over 4.5 up to 14 tonnes GVM
- Level 5Waste vehicle driver over 14 up to 30 tonnes GVM: rear end loader, roll on/roll off, side lift, liquid waste, skip
- Level 6Articulated vehicle, rigid vehicle over 30 tonnes GVM, front lift vehicle or side operated grab (SOLO) driver
- Level 7Driver/instructor (all systems)
- Level 8Intermodal facility or tipping platform operator, earthmoving plant over 150 BHP
- Level 9Driver of a double articulated vehicle (B double)
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 MA000043 award text as consolidated by the Fair Work Commission, reflecting Annual Wage Review [2026] FWCFB 3500, effective 1 July 2026.
- Penalty rates and allowances
- MA000043 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% | 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Depot hand in training | $1,021.00 | $26.87 | $33.59 |
| Level 2 | Labourer or depot hand, facility attendant or process worker, offsider to a driver | $1,045.50 | $27.51 | $34.39 |
| Level 3 | Weighbridge operator, trainee driver up to 14 tonnes GVM, waste vehicle driver up to 4.5 tonnes GVM | $1,057.60 | $27.83 | $34.79 |
| Level 4 | Truck mounted loading crane or road sweeper driver, incinerator operator, earthmoving plant up to 150 BHP, waste vehicle over 4.5 up to 14 tonnes GVM | $1,076.20 | $28.32 | $35.40 |
| Level 5 | Waste vehicle driver over 14 up to 30 tonnes GVM: rear end loader, roll on/roll off, side lift, liquid waste, skip | $1,089.60 | $28.67 | $35.84 |
| Level 6 | Articulated vehicle, rigid vehicle over 30 tonnes GVM, front lift vehicle or side operated grab (SOLO) driver | $1,118.00 | $29.42 | $36.78 |
| Level 7 | Driver/instructor (all systems) | $1,198.80 | $31.55 | $39.44 |
| Level 8 | Intermodal facility or tipping platform operator, earthmoving plant over 150 BHP | $1,258.70 | $33.12 | $41.40 |
| Level 9 | Driver of a double articulated vehicle (B double) | $1,270.90 | $33.44 | $41.80 |
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 MA000043 award text as consolidated to 1 July 2026.
Hourly and casual hourly rates above exclude the $122.98 a week industry allowance, which is paid for all purposes and added before any loading or penalty (clause 16.2(b)).
Allowances
Paid on top of the base rate. Amounts effective from 1 July 2026.
| Allowance | Amount | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry allowance | $122.98 | per week | Paid to every employee for all purposes (cl 16.2(b)), pro rata for part-time and casual employees, so it is added to the minimum rate before penalties, overtime, shift rates and the casual loading are applied. The rates above exclude it. The award's own hourly summary includes it: Level 1 is $30.11 an hour, or $37.64 for a casual (Schedule A.2.1 and A.3.1). |
| Leading hand allowance, 4 to 8 employees | $30.19 | per week | Clause 16.2(c). |
| Leading hand allowance, 9 to 15 employees | $44.72 | per week | Clause 16.2(c). |
| Leading hand allowance, more than 15 employees | $61.49 | per week | Clause 16.2(c). |
| First aid allowance | $5.59 | per day | For an employee appointed by the employer to perform first aid (cl 16.2(e)). |
| Meal allowance | $21.82 | per occasion | Overtime of 2 hours or more without prior notice, or starting 2 hours or more before the normal agreed starting time, unless a suitable meal is supplied (cl 16.3(a)). |
| Transport allowance | $10.64 | per day | Starting duty before 4am, unless the employer provides transport (cl 16.3(b)). |
| Boat allowance | $49.19 | per week | For an employee required to use a boat (cl 16.2(d)). |
| Higher duties | Rate of the highest level | for the whole day | Work at more than one classification level on a day is paid at the highest level for the whole day (cl 15.3(a)). |
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.
Day workers get the greater of 17.5% or the weekend penalty rates they would have earned during the leave, not both. 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.
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 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.