Legal Roster Templates for Restaurants: 2025 Rules

In 2025, changes to labor regulations impacting the hospitality sector necessitate careful attention to roster management. The Hospitality Industry General Award (HIGA) outlines the rules and rights of employees within this sector. Compliance with HIGA is important for avoiding legal repercussions and ensuring fair treatment of staff.

Key Changes to Roster Management

• 24/7 Operations: Restaurants operating on a 24-hour basis must prepare staff schedules that not only comply with labor laws but also consider employee well-being. The regulations require specific attention to maximum shift lengths, mandatory breaks, and adequate rest periods between shifts.
• Public Holiday Staffing: Restaurants must navigate public holidays with care. Employees are entitled to specific rates of pay and rest requirements, which means that scheduling around these days requires careful planning.
• Mandatory Break Times: As per the updated restaurant break times law, it is essential to provide employees with designated breaks during their shifts. Understanding these laws can help you create a roster that complies with the legal breaks required, ensuring your staff receives necessary rest and stays productive.holidays, or overtime. Our Hospitality Award Compliance Checklist helps ensure these are correctly applied.

Why Your Rosters Must Comply in 2025

The Hospitality Industry Award (MA000009) has strict rules on:

• Break entitlements (paid rest breaks, meal intervals)
•  Penalty rates (weekends, nights, public holidays)
• Maximum hours (overtime after 10h/day or 38h/week)

Non-compliance risks: Backpay orders + $18,780 fines per violation (Fair Work Act).

Penalty Rate Rules for Rostering

How Workstem Helps Hospitality Industry Businesses

Simplify award interpretation and payroll processing with Workstem, the all-in-one workforce management & payroll software designed for every industry. Our system supports 122+ modern awards & 34 EAs, including the Hospitality Industry Award 2025, and keeps you up-to-date with changes in wage rates, penalty rates, and overtime rules.

Managing payroll under the Hospitality Industry Award 2025 can be complex. Workstem’s workforce management software ensures:

• Accurate award interpretation
• Automated penalty rates & overtime calculations
• Compliant payslips & record-keeping
• Seamless integrations with Xero, NetSuite, and more

Choose from our Standard or Advanced plan to suit your business needs, and stay Fair Work compliant with confidence.

Book a free demo with our payroll experts and experience how Workstem can streamline your payroll and workforce operations.

FAQs About the Hospitality Industry Award 2025

Q1: What is the Hospitality Industry Award 2025?
A1: The Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2025 (MA000009) sets minimum pay rates, penalty rates, and employment conditions for workers in hotels, restaurants, cafés, pubs, and clubs across Australia. It’s updated annually by the Fair Work Commission.

Q2: What are the key changes in the 2025 Award?
A2: Minimum wage increase: ~3.5% (projected) for full-time, part-time, and casual employees;penalty rates: Unchanged for weekends/public holidays, but base rates rise;casual loading: Remains at 25%.

Q3: Does the Award apply to casual workers?
A3: Yes. Casual employees receive: base rate + 25% loading (e.g., $24.05 + $6.01 = $30.06/hour); additional penalty rates for weekends/nights.

Q4: Are breaks and overtime included?
A4: Breaks: 10-minute paid rest breaks per 4-hour shift; overtime: Paid after 38 hours/week (full-time) or 10 hours/day.

Q5: Can Workstem help with casual employee management?
A5: Absolutely. Workstem supports casual loading, dynamic rosters, and real-time tracking to ensure casual workers are paid correctly and fairly under the award.

Q6: Is Workstem compliant with Fair Work and STP2?
A6: Yes, Workstem is fully compliant with Fair Work obligations and Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 (STP2), ensuring seamless reporting to the ATO.

Read More:

Hospitality Industry (General) Award Guide [MA000009]

Updated Hospitality Award Rates: What You Need to Know

Hospitality Award

Restaurant Award vs Hospitality Award: What’s the Difference?