Minimum wages for Group 2 modern awards increased by 1.75% this week. This group covers construction, manufacturing, telecommunications, storage, wholesale and a range of other industries.

By way of background, the Fair Work Commission announced a 1.75% increase to minimum wages on 19 June 2020 as part of its annual wage review. Usually, minimum wage increases take effect from the beginning of the financial year. However, because of the impact of the pandemic on businesses, many industries have pushed back and staggered the wage increases.

Employers who pay an annualised salary in satisfaction of modern award entitlements will need to ensure that the salary is sufficient to cover the increased pay rates.

The retail, hospitality and other industries which are considered to have been significantly affected by the pandemic will be subject to the 1.75% minimum wage increases from 1 February 2021 (Group 3).

In case you missed it, for anyone not covered by an award or an agreement, the new national minimum wage of $753.80 per week or $19.84 per hour applied from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2020.

What about those on JobKeeper?

The new minimum wage applies to work performed while an employee is on JobKeeper if they get their pay rate from an award or the national minimum wage.

Timeline for the increases

• Group 2 Awards — 1 November 2020
• Group 3 Awards — 1 February 2021

Group 2

Below is a complete list of awards in Group 2.

• Aluminium Industry Award
• Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award
• Aquaculture Industry Award
• Architects Award
• Asphalt Industry Award
• Black Coal Mining Industry Award
• Book Industry Award
• Broadcasting, Recorded Entertainment and Cinemas Award
• Building and Construction General On-site Award
• Business Equipment Award
• Car Parking Award
• Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award
• Clerks—Private Sector Award
• Coal Export Terminals Award
• Concrete Products Award
• Contract Call Centres Award
• Cotton Ginning Award
• Dredging Industry Award
• Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award
• Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award
• Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award
• Gardening and Landscaping Services Award
• Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award
• Higher Education Industry-Academic Staff-Award
• Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award
• Horticulture Award
• Hydrocarbons Field Geologists Award
• Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award
• Joinery and Building Trades Award
• Journalists Published Media Award
• Labour Market Assistance Industry Award
• Legal Services Award
• Local Government Industry Award
• Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award
• Marine Towage Award
• Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award
• Market and Social Research Award
• Meat Industry Award
• Mining Industry Award
• Miscellaneous Award
• Mobile Crane Hiring Award
• Oil Refining and Manufacturing Award
• Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award
• Pastoral Award
• Pest Control Industry Award
• Pharmaceutical Industry Award
• Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award
• Port Authorities Award
• Ports, Harbours and Enclosed Water Vessels Award
• Poultry Processing Award
• Premixed Concrete Award
• Professional Diving Industry (Industrial) Award
• Professional Employees Award
• Rail Industry Award
• Real Estate Industry Award
• Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award
• Road Transport and Distribution Award
• Salt Industry Award
• Seafood Processing Award
• Seagoing Industry Award
• Security Services Award
• Silviculture Award
• Stevedoring Industry Award
• Storage Services and Wholesale Award
• Sugar Industry Award
• Supported Employment Services Award
• Surveying Award
• Telecommunications Services Award
• Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award
• Timber Industry Award
• Transport (Cash in Transit) Award
• Waste Management Award
• Wool Storage, Sampling and Testing Award

Group 3

The new wage increase will start for the following awards from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 February 2021.

• Air Pilots Award
• Aircraft Cabin Crew Award
• Airline Operations-Ground Staff Award
• Airport Employees Award
• Alpine Resorts Award
• Amusement, Events and Recreation Award
• Commercial Sales Award
• Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award
• Fast Food Industry Award
• Fitness Industry Award
• General Retail Industry Award
• Hair and Beauty Industry Award
• Horse and Greyhound Training Award
• Hospitality Industry (General) Award
• Live Performance Award
• Mannequins and Models Award
• Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award
• Nursery Award
• Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award
• Racing Clubs Events Award
• Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award
• Registered and Licensed Clubs Award
• Restaurant Industry Award
• Sporting Organisations Award
• Travelling Shows Award
• Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award
• Wine Industry Award

Reference

• FairWork Australia — increase to minimum wages