A number of members have contacted the Employment Relations (‘ER’) team recently enquiring about rates payable under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (‘HIGA’) from 1 July, 2021.
As communicated on the QHA website, in publications including QHA Update and the QHA ER Bulletin, there was no change to HIGA wage rates on 1 July this year.
As in previous years, the Fair Work Commission’s (‘FWC’) Expert Panel (‘Panel’) undertook its Annual Wage Review (‘AWR’), culminating in the release of the Annual Wage Review Decision (‘Decision’) on 16 June, 2021. While the Decision provides for a 2.5% increase to modern award wages and to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), the Panel determined that due to the ongoing economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase should be implemented with delayed effect in some modern awards.
The 2.5% AWR increase will not take effect in the HIGA until the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 November 2021. Other modern awards subject to this delayed operative date include the:
- Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020;
- Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010;
- Live Performance Award 2020;
- Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020, and;
- Restaurant Industry Award 2020.
Updated QHA Wages Guides for the HIGA and other above listed modern awards will be prepared in due course and made available to members through the QHA ER Bulletin in the first instance.
1 July 2021 Increase to National Minimum Wage and some Modern Award Rates
Importantly, the National Minimum Wage (‘NMW’) and rates payable under most other modern awards increased by 2.5% from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2021.
The NMW applies as the minimum rate for employees whose position is not covered by a modern award or formally ratified Enterprise Agreement.
For those employees, the NMW will increase from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2021. The increase will see the per week amount increase to $772.60 per week for a full time employee. The hourly rate increases to $20.33 per hour.
This increase represents a weekly increase of $18.80 per week or 49 cents per hour to the NMW
For those modern awards that the QHA prepares a wage guide for, the ones increasing on 1 July 2021 are listed below. The award title contains a link for downloading the wage rates guide:
- Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020
- Joinery and Building Trades Award 2020
- Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020
- Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020
- Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award 2020
A number of other awards will also increase on 1 July 2021, and if you are unsure whether an award you refer to is included in the 1 July 2021 group, please contact the QHA.
Updated Rates for Collective Agreements
Members with existing Collective Agreements (or other formally ratified documents) can seek for the rates payable in accordance with the Agreement to be updated in line with the Decision.
Where the QHA has drafted your Agreement, we can update your wage schedules for a nominal fee of $340.00 inc GST- this includes up to 5 wage schedules. A higher fee will apply for a larger number of wage schedules.
For Agreements drafted by an external party, the QHA can assist you to update your wage schedules. Please contact the Department for more information and an estimate of fees.
Non QHA members can also access this service at the non-member consultancy rate of $275.00 plus GST per hour.
QHA members seeking more information or wishing to discuss a specific employment relations matter are encouraged to contact the Employment Relations Department for a confidential discussion by calling (07) 3221 6999 or emailing er@qha.org.au.
