What is the Pharmacy Award ?
The Pharmacy Award is an important legal regulation in Australia that sets minimum standards for pay, working hours, leave entitlements, and related matters for employers and employees in the pharmacy industry.
Compliance with this award is crucial for employers to treat their employees fairly and protect their rights.
Who is entitled to the Pharmacy Award ?
The Pharmacy Award covers employers and employees in the community pharmacy industry, including those who compound or dispense prescriptions and sell medicines or drugs. This includes:
- pharmacy assistants including dispensary assistants
- pharmacists
- pharmacy students and interns
- shop assistants working in a community pharmacy.
The award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees placed in the community pharmacy industry.
To determine whether your staff fall under the Pharmacy Award , it’s recommended to visit the Fair Work website.
Pharmacy pay rates
Workstem has developed a comprehensive guide to help compliance with the Pharmacy 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 Pharmacy Award .
Ordinary and penalty rates
-
Full-time and part-time employees
Ordinary hours Monday to Friday |
% of minimum hourly rate |
Between 8.00 am and 7.00 pm |
100% |
Between 7.00 am and 8.00 am |
150% |
Between 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm |
125% |
Between 9.00 pm and midnight |
125% |
Saturday |
|
Between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm |
125% |
Between 7.00 am and 8.00 am |
200% |
Between 6.00 pm and 9.00 pm |
150% |
Between 9.00 pm and midnight |
175% |
Sunday |
|
Before 7.00 am and after 9.00 pm |
200% |
Between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm |
150% |
Public holidays(all day) |
225% |
-
Casual employees
Ordinary hours Monday to Friday |
|
% of minimum hourly rate | |
Between 8.00 am and 7.00 pm |
125% |
Between 7.00 am and 8.00 am |
175% |
Between 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm |
150% |
Between 9.00 pm and midnight |
175% |
Overtime rates
Monday to Saturday(first 2 hours) |
Monday to Saturday(after 2 hours) | Sunday | Public holiday |
% of ordinary hourly rate |
|||
150% | 200% | 200% |
250% |
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 Pharmacy 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 Pharmacy 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 pharmacy industry, but a particular employee is not covered by the Pharmacy Award , then either the FWC’s national minimum wage or the state minimum wage applies.
Read more: Pharmacy Industry Award Guide[MA000012]