What is the Hair and Beauty Industry Award?
The Hair and Beauty Industry Award is a set of minimum employment standards that outlines leave entitlements and salary requirements for employers in the hair and beauty industry in Australia.
It applies to eligible employees in the industry, including those involved in services such as haircutting and hair styling.
Compliance with the award is crucial to ensure fair treatment and protection of employees’ rights.
Who is entitled to the Hair and Beauty Industry Award?
The Hair and Beauty Award applies to employers operating in the hair and beauty industry, as well as their employees who fall under the classifications specified in the award.
The hair and beauty industry includes:
- haircutting
- hair styling
- shampooing
- hair dyeing or any treatment of hair
- shaving and beard trimming
- wig-making
- make-up application
- manicuring or nail work
- lash and brow tinting
- facial treatments including massages and other specialised treatments such as lymphatic drainage
- high frequency body treatments including full body massage and other body treatments (if it is not a health business)
- performing or carrying out body hair removal, including waxing chemical methods, electrolysis and laser hair removal
- aromatherapy and the application of aromatic oils for beauty treatments.
Examples of employers and employees covered by the Hair and Beauty Award include:
- hair and beauty salons
- hairdressers
- hairdressing apprentices
- barbers
- beauticians and beauty therapists
- make-up artists
- nail technicians
- employees applying spray tan for a spray tan studio
- cosmetologists.
The Hair and Beauty Award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees who are working for a business in the hair and beauty industry.
To determine whether your staff fall under the Hair and Beauty Industry Award, it’s recommended to visit the Fair Work website.
Hair and Beauty Industry Award Pay Rates
Workstem has developed a comprehensive guide to help compliance with the Hair and Beauty 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 Hair and Beauty Industry Award.
Ordinary and penalty rates
- Full-time and part-time employees
|
Time of ordinary hours worked |
Adult employees(% of minimum hourly rate) | Junior employees(% of junior hourly rate) |
|
Monday to Friday between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm |
100% | 100% |
| Saturday – between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm | 133% |
133% |
|
Sunday – between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm |
200% | 200% |
|
Public holiday – any time of day |
250% |
250% |
| RDO – any time of day | 200% |
200% |
- Casual employees
| Time of ordinary hours worked | Adult employees(% of minimum hourly rate) |
Junior employees(% of junior hourly rate) |
|
Monday to Friday – between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm |
125% | 125% |
|
Monday to Friday – before 7.00 am and after 9.00 pm |
150% | 150% |
|
Saturday – before 7.00 am and after 6.00 pm |
150% |
150% |
| Saturday – between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm | 153% |
153% |
| Sunday – any time of day | 220% |
220% |
| Public holiday – any time of day | 250% |
250% |
- Apprentice and trainee
|
Time of ordinary hours worked |
Hairdressing apprentices | Beauty therapy apprentices |
|
% of apprentice hourly rate |
||
| Apprentice hourly rate – Monday to Friday between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm | 100% |
100% |
|
Saturday – between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm |
133% | 133% |
|
Sunday – between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm |
200% | 200% |
| Public holiday – any time of day | 250% |
250% |
| RDO – any time of day | 200% |
200% |
Overtime rates
- Full-time and part-time employees
|
For overtime worked on |
Adult employees(% of minimum hourly rate) |
Junior employees(% of junior hourly rate) |
|
Monday to Saturday – first 3 hours |
150% | 150% |
|
Monday to Saturday – after 3 hours |
200% | 200% |
| Sunday – all hours | 200% |
200% |
| Public holiday – all hours | 250% |
250% |
|
RDO – all hours |
200% |
200% |
- Casual employees
|
For overtime worked on |
Adult employees(% of minimum hourly rate) | Junior employees(% of junior hourly rate) |
|
Monday to Saturday – first 3 hours |
175% |
175% |
| Monday to Saturday – after 3 hours | 225% |
225% |
|
Sunday – all hours |
220% |
220% |
| Public holiday – all hours | 250% |
250% |
- Apprentice and trainee
|
For overtime worked on |
Hairdressing apprentices | Beauty therapy apprentices |
|
% of apprentice hourly rate |
||
|
Apprentice hourly rate – Monday to Friday between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm |
150% | 150% |
|
Saturday – between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm |
200% | 200% |
| Sunday – between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm | 200% |
200% |
| Public holiday – any time of day | 250% |
250% |
| RDO – any time of day | 200% |
200% |
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 Hair and beauty industry 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 Hair and Beauty Industry 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 Hair and beauty industry, but a particular employee is not covered by the Hair and Beauty Industry Award, then either the FWC’s national minimum wage or the state minimum wage applies.