General Retail Industry Award 2025 Pay Rates (MA000004)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The General Retail Industry Award covers employees working in shops, stores, and retail outlets across Australia. If you work as a shop assistant, cashier, retail supervisor, visual merchandiser, store manager, or in a warehouse attached to a retail operation, this award almost certainly applies to you. It covers roughly 1.2 million workers, making it one of the largest Modern Awards by headcount.

This award applies to businesses that sell goods directly to the public -- department stores, supermarkets, clothing shops, hardware stores, petrol stations, pharmacies (non-pharmacist staff), newsagents, and online retail with physical warehousing. It does NOT cover employees in fast food (Fast Food Industry Award, MA000003), vehicle sales (Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award), or pharmaceutical employees who are qualified pharmacists (Pharmacy Industry Award). See clause 4.1 for the full coverage rules.

How classification levels work

The award has eight classification levels from Level 1 (entry-level shop assistant) through Level 8 (senior manager or specialist). Your pay rate is set by the work you actually perform, not your job title (clause 14 and Schedule A). Level 1 covers basic retail duties like operating a register, repacking stock, and assisting customers. Level 4 covers trade-qualified workers and experienced supervisors. Levels 7 and 8 cover senior management, buying, and specialist roles. If your duties change, your classification should be reviewed.

Part-time and casual workers in retail

Part-time employees receive the same hourly rate as full-time employees, with entitlements calculated on a pro-rata basis (clause 10.3). Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate (clause 11.1). This loading compensates casuals for not receiving paid leave, notice of termination, or redundancy pay. Retail has one of the highest proportions of casual workers of any industry in Australia.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.

Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38 (clause 13.1). Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25 (clause 11.1).

Penalty Rates

All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate (clause 26 and clause 28).

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees

Casual Employees

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. Sunday casual = base x 1.75 (not base x 1.25 x 1.50). See clause 26.5.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Casual shop assistant working a Saturday

Grace is a casual Level 1 shop assistant who works a 5-hour Saturday shift at a clothing store.

• Base rate: $26.55/hr
• Saturday casual rate: 150% = $26.55 x 1.50 = $39.83/hr
• Total for 5 hours: $199.15 gross
• Clause reference: clause 26.5

Example 2: Full-time retail worker on a public holiday

James is a permanent Level 2 employee who works an 8-hour shift on Boxing Day.

• Base rate: $27.16/hr
• Public holiday rate: 225% = $27.16 x 2.25 = $61.11/hr
• Total for 8 hours: $488.88 gross
• Plus: James is entitled to a substitute day off or an extra day of annual leave (clause 35)
• Clause reference: clause 26.4(c)

Example 3: Part-time cashier with late-evening hours

Aisha is a part-time Level 1 cashier who works 5pm to 10pm on a Thursday.

• Base rate: $26.55/hr
• 5pm to 6pm: base rate 100% = $26.55/hr (1 hour)
• 6pm to 10pm: evening rate 125% = $26.55 x 1.25 = $33.19/hr (4 hours)
• Total: $26.55 + $132.76 = $159.31 gross
• The evening penalty kicks in at 6pm, not when the store closes. Time-of-day matters.
• Clause reference: clause 26.3

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the ordinary hours for retail workers?

Ordinary hours are a maximum of 38 per week, or an average of 38 per week over a roster cycle of up to 4 weeks (clause 13.1). The span of ordinary hours is 7:00am to 9:00pm Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 6:00pm Saturday, and 9:00am to 6:00pm Sunday (clause 13.3). Hours worked outside this span attract penalty rates even if they fall within your 38-hour week.

2. What is the minimum shift length for casual retail workers?

Casual employees must be engaged and paid for a minimum of 3 consecutive hours per shift (clause 11.2). Even if your employer only needs you for 1 hour, they must pay you for 3 hours. At the Level 1 casual rate ($33.19/hr), the minimum payment for any weekday casual shift is $99.57 gross.

3. Do I get paid extra for working after 6pm on weekdays?

Yes. If you work after 6:00pm Monday to Friday, you receive a 25% penalty loading on top of your base rate (clause 26.3). This applies to both your ordinary hours and any hours that extend past 6pm. Casual employees receive 150% of the base rate for evening work (which includes the 25% casual loading built into the penalty multiplier).

4. Can my employer change my roster without notice?

Your employer must give you at least 7 days' notice of a roster change (clause 13.5). If your workplace has fewer than 15 employees, the notice period is 3 days. Your employer cannot change your roster just to avoid paying penalty rates. If your roster is changed with insufficient notice, you are entitled to overtime rates for any hours outside your original roster.

5. I work in a supermarket deli. Am I under the Retail Award or the Fast Food Award?

If you work in a deli, bakery, or butchery section within a supermarket, you are under the General Retail Industry Award (MA000004). The Fast Food Industry Award (MA000003) covers standalone fast food outlets whose primary function is preparing and serving food for immediate consumption. The test is the nature of the overall business. A supermarket is a retail business that happens to have a deli section, so the Retail Award applies. See clause 4.1 and the coverage rules in each award.

Check Your Rate

Working in a shop or store and not sure if your pay is right? Use our free calculator to check your exact rate.

Check your pay rate now

Select your classification level (shop assistant, supervisor, trade-qualified, manager), enter your employment type and when you work, and get an instant breakdown with clause references. Every calculation is sourced directly from the award.

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• creator: Fair Work Commission
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Home > Awards > General Retail Industry Award (MA000004)

Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.