Pharmacy Industry Award Guide[MA000012]

Pharmacy Industry Award Guide[MA000012]

Table of content

  1. What is the Pharmacy Industry General Award?
  2. Who is entitled to the Pharmacy Industry Award ?
  3. How is the shiftwork arranged in the Pharmacy Industry Award?
  4. How are wages and allowances calculated in the Pharmacy Industry Award?
  5. How is the leave managed in the Pharmacy Industry Award?
  6. How to keep in compliance with the Pharmacy Industry Award?
  7. How can Workstem assist you?

This article provides guidelines on the Australian Pharmacy Industry Award package. For more information on this award, please refer to the Pharmacy Industry (General) Award [MA000009].

What is the Pharmacy Industry General Award?

The Pharmacy Industry General Award, also known as the Pharmacy Award, is a set of legal minimum employment standards and conditions that apply to employees working in the Pharmacy industry in Australia.

The award sets out the minimum wage rates, working hours, overtime, annual leave, sick leave, and other entitlements for employees working in various roles within the Pharmacy industry, such as chefs, waiters, bartenders, and housekeeping staff. The award is designed to ensure that employees in the Pharmacy industry are treated fairly and receive reasonable pay and conditions for their work.

Who is entitled to the Pharmacy Industry Award ?

Coverage

The Pharmacy Award applies to both employers and employees working in the community pharmacy industry throughout Australia.

Community pharmacy refers to a business that is primarily established for the purpose of dispensing prescription medicines or selling medicines to the general public. This type of business is not owned by:

  • a hospital;
  • other public institutions operated by the government.

The Pharmacy Award also covers:

  • on-hire employees working in the community pharmacy industry – who are employees that are supplied to the employer’s client to work under them; and
  • employers who provide group training services for trainees engaged in the pharmacy industry.

Types of employment

An employee covered by this award must be one of the following:

  • A full-time employee who is engaged to work 38 ordinary hours per week (or 76 ordinary hours over 2 consecutive weeks).
  • A part-time employee who is engaged to work for less than 38 ordinary hours per week (or 76 over 2 consecutive weeks) and whose hours of work are reasonably predictable.
  • A casual employee who is engaged must be rostered for a minimum of 3 consecutive hours on any shift.

The Pharmacy Award does not cover

Employers not covered by the Pharmacy Award include:

  • pharmacies owned by a hospital or public institution, or
  • pharmacies operated by the government.

Employees not covered by the Pharmacy Award include:

  • nurses
  • beauticians
  • pharmacy employees.

How is the shiftwork arranged in the Pharmacy Industry Award?

Hours of Work

Ordinary Hours of Work
  • Must not exceed 38 hours per week or 76 hours over 2 consecutive weeks
  •  Must not exceed 12 hours per day
  • Can be worked on any day between 7.00 am and midnight
Change to Spread of Hours
  • Parties can agree to shift the spread of hours back or forward by up to an hour
  • Agreement can be made with an individual employee, the majority of employees in a discrete section, or the majority of employees in the workplace
Rostering Arrangements for Full-Time and Part-Time Employees
  • Must be rostered to work ordinary hours in such a way that they have 2 consecutive days off each week or 3 consecutive days off over 2 consecutive weeks
  • Must not be rostered to work ordinary hours on more than 5 days in a week
  • If rostered to work ordinary hours on 6 days one week, then shouldn’t be rostered to work ordinary hours more than 4 days the following week
  • If rostered to work (whether ordinary hours or overtime) on 3 Sundays in a 4-week cycle, must be rostered to have 3 consecutive days off in that 4-week cycle, including a Saturday and Sunday

*If they’re a part-time employee who has agreed to work Saturdays and Sundays, then the point above doesn’t apply

Breaks

Hours worked per day

Breaks

At least 4 hours but not more than 5

  • One 10-minute paid rest break

More than 5 hours but less than 7.6

  • One 10-minute paid rest break
  • One 30 to 60-minute unpaid meal break

7.6 hours or more

  • Two 10-minute paid rest breaks (not to be taken in the first hour of work or in the first hour of resuming work after a meal break)
  • One 30 to 60-minute unpaid meal break (to be taken within the first 5 hours of work but not before the first 2.5 hours)

How are wages and allowances calculated in the Pharmacy Industry Award?

Minimum rates

Employee classification

Minimum weekly rate(full-time employee) Minimum hourly rate

$

Pharmacy assistant level 1

939.60 24.73
Pharmacy assistant level 2 961.10

25.29

Pharmacy assistant level 3

995.00 26.18

Pharmacy assistant level 4

1035.90

27.26

Pharmacy student—1st year of course 939.60

24.73

Pharmacy student—2nd year of course

961.10

25.29

Pharmacy student—3rd year of course

995.00 26.18

Pharmacy student—4th year of course

1035.90

27.26

Pharmacy intern—1st half of training 1049.60

27.62

Pharmacy intern—2nd half of training

1085.40 28.56

Pharmacist

1289.30 33.93
Experienced pharmacist 1412.10

37.16

Pharmacist in charge 1445.40

38.04

Pharmacist manager 1610.60

42.38

Overtime rates

The overtime rate payable to an employee depends on the time at which the overtime is worked:

For overtime worked on

Overtime rate

(% of ordinary hourly rate)

Monday to Saturday(first 2 hours)

150%

Monday to Saturday(after 2 hours)

200%

Sunday

200%

Public Holiday

250%

‍Penalty rates

When an employee works ordinary hours on the following days, they are entitled to the following penalty rates:

For hours worked on

Full-time and part‑time penalty rate

% of minimum hourly rate

Casual penalty rate (inclusive of casual loading)

% of minimum hourly rate

Monday to Friday

Between 7.00 am and 8.00 am

150% 175%
Between 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm 125%

150%

Between 9.00 pm and midnight 150%

175%

Saturday

Between 7.00 am and 8.00 am

200% 225%

Between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm

125% 150%
Between 6.00 pm and 9.00 pm 150%

175%

Between 9.00 pm and midnight 175%

200%

Sunday

Between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm
(1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020)

165% 190%

Between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm
(From 1 July 2020)

150%

175%

Before 7.00 am and after 9.00 pm 200%

225%

Public holidays—all day 225%

250%

Allowance

Home medicine reviews and residential medication management reviews

if your pharmacist is required to perform home medicine reviews, they are entitled to an additional allowance of $106.40 per week.

  Meal allowances

If an employee has worked for 6 hours or more during their regular working hours, and then they have to work overtime,or if they have to work overtime for more than 1.5 hours after their regular working hours:

The employer must either:

  • Provide the employee with an adequate meal, or
  • Pay the employee a meal allowance.

On-premise meal allowance

If an employee is unable to take their meal break due to urgent matters requiring their involvement, they are entitled to a penalty rate of 150% of the minimum hourly rate.

  Clothing allowance

  • $6.25 each week for a full-time employee; or
  • $1.25 each shift for a part-time or casual employee.

Motor vehicle allowance

$0.96 for each kilometre travelled

Broken Hill allowance

$42.59 per week

How is the leave managed in the Pharmacy Industry Award?

In the Pharmacy Industry Award, leave entitlements for employees are determined by the National Employment Standards (NES) and the classification of the employee.

Annual leave

Annual leave is provided for in the NES.

Certain shiftworkers are entitled to additional leave,and during a period of annual leave, employees will receive an annual leave loading calculated on the rate prescribed in the award.

Type of Employee

Loading Payment

Day work

17.5% or the relevant penalty rates, whichever is greater, but not both
Shift Work

17.5% or the shift loading( including relevant weekend penalty rates), whichever is greater, but not both

*Note: The loading payment is payable on leave accrued.

Personal Leave

Casual employees are entitled to be absent from work to care for a person who requires care or support because of:

  • illness or an injury;or
  • an emergency

but they’re not entitled to be paid for time away from work.

Public holidays

Public holiday entitlements are provided for in the NES.Employees and employers can agree to substitute another day or part-day for a public holiday or part-day public holiday under the National Employment Standards (NES).

  • Public holiday work must be compensated with penalty rates according to the Pharmacy Award: 225% or 250% for casuals.
  • Employees working on a public holiday can take an alternative day off if agreed upon in writing by both employer and employee.

How to keep in compliance with the Pharmacy Industry Award?

To comply with the Pharmacy Industry Award in Australia, businesses in the Pharmacy industry can follow:

Minimum wage Employers must pay their employees at least the minimum wage set by the Fair Work Commission.
Superannuation Employers are obligated to make superannuation contributions on behalf of their eligible employees, which includes calculating and paying the correct amount on time.
Taxation Businesses must accurately calculate and withhold income tax from employee wages, regularly passing the amount to the ATO.
Record-keeping  Employers are required to maintain comprehensive records relating to employee pay, taxes, superannuation and entitlements

How can Workstem assist you?

Workstem is a one-stop payroll & HR platform with an award interpretation module and customised attendance formulas that ensure Pharmacy employers stay compliant with Fair Work regulations. The platform simplifies HR processes, reduces administrative burdens, and offers a user-friendly interface for small businesses and large enterprises alike.

Experience the benefits of Workstem for yourself!

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