Wages and rates of pay
Part-time / casual work
- Any part-time / casual vacancy lodged on Careers Online must offer an hourly rate of pay of at least award wage level
- We do not accept commission only and independent contracting (ABN) positions. (See our terms and conditions for advertising)
- The difference between part-time and casual is important - part-timers are entitled to sick leave and annual leave on a pro-rata basis. Casuals do not get leave entitlements and pay rates are usually 25-35% higher
- Check with the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 if you have a query about a rate of pay and employment conditions (best to call rather than searching online).
Pay Rates
The Fair Work Ombudsman website has a section called PayCheck Plus where you can search for awards and pay rates online. Go to: www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/paycheckplus/pages/default.aspx
Here are some selected awards taken from PayCheck. They refer to adult rates (over 21 years) and entry level / lowest experience.
| Award | Job | Part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Industry Award 2010 | Kitchen Hand, Waiting | $15.43 per hour | $19.29 per hour |
| Fast Food Industry Award 2010 | Preparing / cooking food, taking orders | $16.43 per hour | $21.69 per hour |
| General Retail Industry Award 2010 | Sales Assistant | $16.47 per hour | $21.69 per hour |
| Clerks Private Sector Award 2010 | Filing, photocopying, answering phones | $15.95 per hour | $21.27 per hour |
| Contact Call Centres Award 2010 | Make / receive calls for sales or customer service | $16.02 per hour | $20.03 per hour |
Please use these as a guide only.
Employment law and awards are often complex and conditions and wages can change at short notice. Contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 to find out the award and pay scales that apply to your company and to your employees.
Graduate salaries in Australia
- In Australia in 2009, the median annual starting salary for new bachelor degree graduates aged less than 25 and in their first full-time employment was A$48,000. The three fields of education with the highest median staring salaries in 2009 were Dentistry ($70,000), Optometry ($64,500) and Engineering ($57,500).
- The median annual salary for postgraduate coursework graduates was $64,000.
- The Grad Jobs and Dollars section of Graduate Careers Australia website provides average starting salaries for graduates. You can search by discipline and course level. The salary rates are averages and do not take into account the level of responsibility or what any competitors offer.
International salaries and rates of pay
International employers are advised that it is a requirement of Careers Online that all employment listings (other than volunteer positions) include a salary or rate of pay in local currency.
If you company is offering vacation work or internships to students, you are required to list the allowance or rate of pay. As a general rule, companies offer the equivalent of half to two thirds of the graduate starting salary (pro rata) for internships, although this may increase in particular sectors or where there is strong competition for candidates.
Private households employing students
Tertiary education institutions in Victoria have agreed to rates of pay for students who are employed by private individuals to undertake various jobs around the home.
When you register via Careers Online to advertise your job, make sure you select Individual as the employer type.
| TYPE OF JOB | HOURLY RATE OF PAY |
|---|---|
| CHILDCARE | |
| general child care and babysitting | $15 - $18 per hour |
| picking up / dropping off (using own car) | $0.60 per km |
| DOMESTIC | |
| house cleaning | $15 - $18 per hour |
| light housework (e.g. meal preparation, laundry, cleaning) plus childcare | $18 - $20 per hour |
| PERSONAL CARE | |
| includes general carer assistance, occupational therapy and applied behaviour therapy | $15 - $20 per hour |
| HOUSE & GARDEN | |
| general gardening (including mowing) | $16 per hour |
| supplying own mower and equipment | $20 per hour |
| landscaping / labouring / decorating / painting | $17 per hour |
| PRIVATE PARTY HELP (supplying own clothing) | |
| standard | $17 - $20 per hour |
| public holidays | $22 - $25 per hour |
| *an extra $5 per hour after midnight applies | |
| TUTORING | |
| Primary and Secondary up to Year 10 (tutored by an undergraduate) | $22 per hour |
| VCE - Year 11 and Year 12 (tutored by an undergraduate) | $25 per hour |
| Tertiary (tutored by an undergraduate) | $30 per hour |
| *postgraduates may charge an extra $5 per hour | negotiable |
| **tutoring 2 students together may be charged at time and a half | negotiable |
| ***tutoring 3 students together may be charged at double time | negotiable |
| IT / WEB | |
| basic PC support | $25 per hour |
| web site maintenance | $25 per hour |
| web site design | $30 per hour (negotiable) |
| INTERPRETING / TRANSLATING | |
| non-technical | $25 |
| technical data quoted independently | negotiable |
Workplace insurance for private households
Students are automatically covered by workplace injury insurance in private households if the person or people employing them do not expect to pay more than $7,500 per year in wages. Private individuals paying more than this amount in wages need to take out a workplace injury insurance policy. For further information, go to WorkSafe or call +61 3 9641 1444 (toll free 1800 136 089).