What is the Cleaning Services Award ?
The Cleaning Award is a set of rules that outline the minimum employment conditions for employers and employees in the contract Cleaning Services industry in Australia.
The Cleaning Award covers cleaners, specialist cleaning businesses, trolley collectors, and labour hire businesses and their employees in the contract Cleaning Services industry in Australia.
The Cleaning Award ensures that employees are treated fairly and in accordance with Fair Work regulations, including details on minimum wages, working hours, and leave entitlements.
Who is entitled to the Cleaning Services Award ?
The Cleaning Award applies to employers and employees in the contract Cleaning Services industry.
The contract Cleaning Services industry involves providing Cleaning Services under a contract, which includes：
- event cleaning (ie. cleaning at sporting, cultural, scientific, technological, agricultural or entertainment events or exhibitions)
- trolley collection
- hygiene and pollution control
- minor property maintenance incidental to cleaning.
Examples of employers and employees covered by the Cleaning Award include:
- office cleaners employed by a contract cleaning business
- shopping centre cleaners employed by a contract cleaning business
- house and apartment cleaners employed by a contract cleaning business
- specialist cleaning businesses (for example, gutter cleaning, cleaning and restoration, damaged property cleaning, bus shelter cleaning businesses)
- trolley collectors working for a contract trolley business.
The Cleaning Award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees who are placed with an organisation in the contract Cleaning Services industry.
To determine whether your staff fall under the Cleaning Services Award, it’s recommended to visit the Fair Work website.
Cleaning services pay rates
Workstem has developed a comprehensive guide to help compliance with the Cleaning Services Industry Award Rates.
If you’re uncertain about the applicable classifications, this guide can help you understand how to comply with Fair Work legislation, classify your employees correctly, and pay penalties and allowances in accordance with the Cleaning Services Award.
Full-time and part-time employees
-
Ordinary and penalty rates
|
Full-time adult employees |
Part-time adult employees | |
|
% of minimum hourly rate |
||
|
Day |
100% | 115% |
|
Early morning, afternoon and non-permanent night shift |
115% | 130% |
|
Permanent night |
130% | 130% |
| Saturday | 150% |
165% |
| Sunday | 200% |
215% |
| Public holiday | 250% |
265% |
-
Overtime rates
|
|
% of minimum hourly rate |
|
Monday to Saturday – first 2 hours |
150% |
| Monday to Saturday – after 2 hours |
200% |
| Sunday – all day |
200% |
| Public holiday – all day |
250% |
Casual employees
-
Ordinary and penalty rates
|
% of minimum hourly rate |
|
| Day |
125% |
|
Early morning, afternoon and non-permanent night shift |
140% |
|
Permanent night |
155% |
|
Saturday |
175% |
| Sunday |
225% |
| Public holiday |
275% |
-
Overtime rates
|
Overtime worked on |
Full-time and part-time employees |
Casual employees (includes casual loading) |
| Overtime rate (% of minimum hourly rate) | ||
|
Monday to Saturday—first 2 hours |
150% | 175% |
|
Monday to Saturday—after 2 hours |
200% |
225% |
| Sunday all day | 200% |
225% |
| Public holiday all day | 250% |
275% |
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 Cleaning Services 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 Cleaning Services 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 Cleaning Services industry, but a particular employee is not covered by the Cleaning Services Award, then either the FWC’s national minimum wage or the state minimum wage applies.
Read more: Cleaning Services Award Guide [MA000022]