What is professional employees award?
The Professional Employees Award is an industrial award that sets out the minimum terms and conditions of employment for certain professional employees. It falls under the Modern Awards system established by the Fair Work Commission, which is responsible for regulating employment conditions.
The award specifies the minimum wage rates, working hours, overtime pay, penalty rates, and other entitlements for eligible employees in these professional fields. It also outlines provisions for leave, termination, and redundancy.
For the complete version of the Professional Employees Award 2020, please refer to Fair Work.
Who is entitled to the professional employees award?
The Professional Employees Award covers employers mainly engaged in the information technology, medical research, quality auditing or telecommunications services industries and their employees who fit within the classifications of the award.
Employees are also covered if they perform professional engineering and scientific duties, unless another award with a more appropriate classification covers their employer.
The award does not cover employees who are covered by the following awards:
- Airport Employees Award 2020
- Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020
- Electrical Power Industry Award 2020
- Nurses Award 2020
- Port Authorities Award 2020
- Rail Industry Award 2020
- State Government Agencies Award 2020
- Water Industry Award 2020
Professional employees pay rates
Workstem has developed a comprehensive guide to help compliance with the Professional Employees Award 2020.
Full-time and part-time employees
|
Classification |
Hourly pay rate |
|
Graduate professional – level 1.1 – 3 year degree |
$29.97 |
| Graduate professional – level 1.1 – 4 or 5 year degree |
$30.74 |
| Graduate professional – level 1.2 |
$31.25 |
|
Graduate professional – level 1.3 |
$32.56 |
| Graduate professional – level 1.4 |
$34.20 |
| Experienced professional/quality auditor – level 2 |
$35.36 |
|
Professional/senior (lead) quality auditor – level 3 |
$38.64 |
|
Professional – level 4 |
$43.58 |
| Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.1 (3 year degree) |
$29.97 |
|
Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.1 (4 or 5 year degree) |
$30.74 |
|
Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.2 |
$31.25 |
| Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.3 |
$32.56 |
| Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.4 |
$34.20 |
|
Experienced professional medical research employee – level 2 |
$35.36 |
|
Experienced medical research employee – level 3 |
$38.64 |
| Experienced medical research employee – level 4 |
$43.58 |
| Experienced medical research employee – level 5 |
$52.50 |
Casual employees
|
Classification |
Hourly pay rate |
|
Graduate professional – level 1.1 – 3 year degree |
$37.46 |
| Graduate professional – level 1.1 – 4 or 5 year degree |
$38.43 |
|
Graduate professional – level 1.2 |
$39.06 |
|
Graduate professional – level 1.3 |
$40.70 |
| Graduate professional – level 1.4 |
$42.75 |
|
Experienced professional/quality auditor – level 2 |
$44.20 |
|
Professional/senior (lead) quality auditor – level 3 |
$48.30 |
|
Professional – level 4 |
$54.48 |
| Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.1 (3 year degree) |
$37.46 |
| Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.1 (4 or 5 year degree) |
$38.43 |
|
Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.2 |
$39.06 |
|
Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.3 |
$40.70 |
|
Graduate professional medical research employee – level 1 – pay point 1.4 |
$42.75 |
|
Experienced professional medical research employee – level 2 |
$44.20 |
| Experienced medical research employee – level 3 |
$48.30 |
| Experienced medical research employee – level 4 |
$54.48 |
| Experienced medical research employee – level 5 |
$65.63 |
*Rates in table are calculated based on the rates of pay.
How to make payroll efficient with Workstem?
Simplify your payroll processes with Workstem’s all-in-one platform, handling onboarding, time and attendance, award interpretation, payroll, STP 2, superannuation and more.
Customise attendance entitlements, auto-track attendance data, streamline the payment process and keep compliance with Fair Work award through our AI Engine. Workstem provides a complete solution for efficient payroll management and regulatory compliance.
FAQs
Q: Do professional employees award employers be required to pay award minimum wage?
A: Yes, the award minimum wage is the minimum legal requirement that an employee must be paid if they are covered through the professional employees award. Employers are legally bound to comply with this.
Q: How do employers pay employees not covered under an award?
A: If a business owner is in the professional employees award, but a particular employee is not covered by the professional employees award, then either the FWC’s national minimum wage or the state minimum wage applies.