The Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 (MA000020) sets minimum pay rates and employment conditions for workers in the construction industry across Australia. For 2026/27, employers must ensure they are applying updated pay rates, allowances, overtime rules and site-based entitlements correctly.
Construction payroll is one of the highest-risk areas for underpayment. Unlike retail or fast food, the complexity comes from multiple allowances, site conditions, travel requirements and overtime structures layered on top of base rates.
If you get classification, allowances or site conditions wrong, the entire pay calculation is wrong.
What is the Building and Construction Award (MA000020)?
The Building and Construction General On-site Award applies to employers and employees working in on-site building, construction, civil construction and related industries.
It generally covers:
- building and construction tradespeople (e.g. carpenters, electricians, plumbers)
- labourers and plant operators
- apprentices and trainees
- site supervisors and leading hands (depending on classification structure)
The award applies where work is performed on-site in construction, including residential, commercial and civil projects.
Who is not covered by the Building and Construction Award?
The award does not apply where:
- work is covered by another construction-related award (e.g. Joinery Award, Electrical Award in some cases)
- employees are covered by an enterprise agreement
- work is off-site manufacturing rather than on-site construction
- roles fall under clerical or professional awards
If you assume coverage without checking, you risk applying the wrong award entirely.
What are the Building and Construction Award pay rates in 2026/27?
Pay rates under the award depend on:
- classification level (e.g. labourer, tradesperson, leading hand)
- skill level and qualifications
- employment type (full-time, part-time, casual)
- apprentice year level
Rates are updated annually following the Fair Work Commission wage review, typically effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July.
Weekly Hire – Full time and Part time – General Residential Work
| Level | Minimum weekly rate | Minimum hourly rate |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW1 (level a) | $1,018.78 | $26.81 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW 1 (level b) | $1,037.88 | $27.31 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW 1 (level c) | $1,051.08 | $27.66 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW 1 (level d) | $1,068.98 | $28.13 |
| Level 2 (CW/ECW 2) | $1,089.48 | $28.67 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) Painter or glazier | $1,129.18 | $29.72 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) Roof tiler, slate-ridger or roof fixer | $1,140.42 | $30.01 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) Bricklayer | $1,147.79 | $30.21 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) Caster, fixer, floorlayer specialist or plasterer | $1,152.44 | $30.33 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) Artificial stoneworker, carpenter,floor sander, stonemason or tilelayer | $1,159.28 | $30.51 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) (not entitled to a tool allowance) | $1,119.68 | $29.47 |
| Level 4 (CW/ECW 4) Signwriter | $1,162.88 | $30.60 |
| Level 4 (CW/ECW 4) Joiner special class and letter cutter | $1,192.98 | $30.60 |
| Level 4 (CW/ECW 4) (not entitled to a tool allowance) | $1,153.38 | $30.35 |
| Level 5 (CW/ECW 5) Refractory bricklayer | $1,215.09 | $31.98 |
| Level 5 (CW/ECW 5) Bricklayer special class | $1,215.09 | $31.98 |
| Level 5 (CW/ECW 5) Special class plasterer | $1,219.74 | $32.10 |
| Level 5 (CW/ECW 5) Carver, carpenter special class and stonemason special class | $1,186.98 | $32.28 |
| Level 5 (CW/ECW 5) (not entitled to a tool allowance) | $1,186.98 | $31.24 |
| Level 6 (CW/ECW 6) | $1,217.18 | $32.03 |
| Level 7 (CW/ECW 7) | $1,250.58 | $32.91 |
| Level 8 (CW/ECW 8) | $1,319.28 | $34.72 |
| Level 9 (ECW 9) | $1,301.38 | $34.25 |
Referenced from Building and Construction General On Site Award – Pay Guide , for other employment types, please also refer to this guide.
Building and Construction classification levels explained
Employees must be classified based on:
- skill level
- qualifications (e.g. trade certificate)
- duties performed on-site
Typical structure includes:
- Labourers: entry-level, general site work
- Tradespersons: qualified workers performing skilled tasks
- Leading hands / supervisors: overseeing teams or sections of work
If you classify a tradesperson as a labourer, every pay element that follows is wrong.
What allowances apply under the Building and Construction Award?
Construction allowances are where most underpayments happen. Employers need to be aware of the most common allowances to prevent any missed entitlements. These include:
- Site allowance
Paid for working on construction sites. This is one of the most frequently missed entitlements. - Industry allowance
Compensates for the general nature of construction work and site conditions. - Leading hand allowance
Applies when an employee supervises other workers. The rate depends on the number of employees supervised. - Tool allowance
Paid to tradespersons required to provide and maintain their own tools. - Travel allowance / fares and travel pattern allowance
Applies when employees travel to and from job sites, especially where sites are not fixed locations. - Meal allowance
Applies when overtime is worked without sufficient notice. - Living away from home allowance (LAFHA)
Applies when employees are required to work away from their usual residence. - Height allowance / confined space allowance
Applies where work is performed under specific hazardous conditions.
Refer to Building and Construction General On Site Award – Pay Guide for the updated amount and conditions.
What are the overtime rules under the Building and Construction Award?
Overtime applies when employees work:
- beyond ordinary daily hours
- beyond weekly ordinary hours
- outside the spread of ordinary hours
- on weekends or public holidays
Construction overtime is not just after 38 hours. It often depends on daily limits and site arrangements.
Typical structure:
- First overtime hours: 150%
- Subsequent overtime: 200%
- Sundays and public holidays: 200% or more
The exact triggers depend on roster arrangements and site conditions.
What are the ordinary hours under the award?
Ordinary hours are usually structured across a standard workweek, often:
- Monday to Friday
- within a defined daily span (commonly early morning to afternoon)
However, construction sites often operate under:
- rostered days off (RDO systems)
- compressed working weeks
- project-specific rosters
This directly affects overtime calculations.
What travel and site conditions must employers account for?
Construction payroll is heavily affected by location and movement.
Employers must consider:
- travel between job sites
- excess fares
- remote or regional site conditions
- requirement to start at depots vs job sites
- transport availability
If employees are required to travel as part of their work, that time and cost may be payable.
What compliance mistakes should construction employers avoid?
The most common faced are:
- ignoring site or industry allowances
- misclassifying tradespersons vs labourers
- failing to apply leading hand allowances correctly
- not paying travel or fares allowances
- incorrect overtime calculations (daily vs weekly triggers)
- missing LAFHA or remote work entitlements
- assuming one flat rate covers everything
Why Building and Construction Award compliance matters in 2026/27
Construction payroll risk is high because:
- multiple allowances stack on top of base rates
- site conditions change frequently
- employees move between projects
- overtime and RDO systems vary
One incorrect setup can scale across:
- multiple sites
- multiple crews
- multiple pay cycles
That turns a small mistake into a large liability.
FAQs About the Building and Construction Award
Q1: What is the Building and Construction Award?
A1: The Building and Construction General On-site Award (MA000020) sets minimum pay rates and conditions for on-site construction workers in Australia.
Q2: What allowances are included in the Construction Award?
A2: Common allowances include site allowance, industry allowance, tool allowance, travel allowance, leading hand allowance and meal allowance.
Q3: Do construction workers get paid for travel?
A3: In many cases, yes. The award includes fares and travel provisions depending on how and where work is performed.
Q4: What is the biggest payroll risk in construction?
A4: Missing or misapplying allowances and overtime rules, not base pay rates.
Q5: Does the award apply to all construction workers?
A5: No. Some roles are covered by other awards or enterprise agreements, so coverage must be checked first.
Read More
Building and Construction Award Pay Rates & Updates
Building & Construction Award [MA000020] 2025: Pay Rates & Rights
Apprentice Wages in Building & Construction Award 2025
Building and Construction Award & Overview
Building and Construction General On-site Award Guide [MA000020]
Building and Construction Award
Legally Compliant Rosters for Building & Construction in 2025
How to Avoid Fair Work Penalties for Unpaid Wages in Construction
