Awards, pay rates and conditions
To find out what awards, pay rates and conditions apply to your business and employees you should:
- consult the Fair Work Australia website
- phone Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94
- phone SafeWork SA Help Centre on 1300 365 255.
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Overview of the Fair Work system
Established under the Australian Government's
Fair Work Act 2009, the Fair Work system has a number of key features you need to know:
- 122 modern awards that replace awards in most industries
- transition to modern award pay rates
- a set of National Employment Standards (NES) for all employees
- the provision to all new employees of the Fair Work Information Statement, which can be found on the website of the Fair Work Ombudsman
- state system employers transitioning into the national workplace relations system.
Various transition provisions apply between 1 January 2010 and 1 July 2014.
The Fair Work Act provides a safety net of enforceable minimum employment terms and conditions through the National Employment Standards (NES). The NES set out 10 minimum standards of employment:
- maximum weekly hours of work
- right to request flexible working arrangements for parents and carers
- parental leave and related entitlements
- annual leave
- personal/carer's leave and compassionate leave
- community service leave
- long service leave
- public holiday pay
- notice of termination and redundancy pay
- provision to employees of the Fair Work Information Statement.
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Employees in the public sector, including state government departments, business enterprises and local councils, remain within the South Australian system under the South Australian Government's
Fair Work Act 1994.
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More information