Hospitality Award Pay Rates 2026: Casual Rates, Penalties and Juniors

These are the hospitality award pay rates for 2026 under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009), the award that covers most hotels, pubs, taverns, motels, resorts and accommodation venues in Australia. The rates below apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, following the Fair Work Commission's annual wage review.

Use this page to budget a roster, check a payslip or price an event. Then confirm the details against the Fair Work pay guide for your exact situation, because allowances and individual circumstances can change the numbers.

Which award covers your venue?

Getting the award right matters more than any single rate. As a rule of thumb:

• Hospitality Industry (General) Award (MA000009): hotels, pubs, taverns, accommodation, resorts, casinos and some function and catering businesses.
• Restaurant Industry Award: standalone restaurants, cafes and many catering businesses that are not part of a hotel.
• Registered and Licensed Clubs Award: RSL clubs, sporting clubs, bowling clubs and similar.
• Fast Food Industry Award: takeaway outlets where food is mainly eaten off the premises.

A restaurant inside a hotel is usually covered by the Hospitality award. If your business does several of these things, the Fair Work Ombudsman can help you work out which award applies.

Classification levels with examples

Pay depends on the classification, which depends on the work a person actually does, not their job title.

Full-time and part-time hourly rates 2026

Casual hourly rates 2026

Casuals receive a 25% loading on top of the ordinary rate, which is why the weekday casual rate is 125%. Weekend and public holiday rates for casuals are calculated as a percentage of the ordinary rate.

Evening and late night loadings

From Monday to Friday, employees get an extra flat amount for hours worked late:

• 7pm to midnight: an extra $2.95 an hour.
• Midnight to 7am: an extra $4.42 an hour.

For casuals, the loading is added on top of the 125% weekday rate. It does not apply on weekends or public holidays, where the penalty rates above already apply.

Junior rates

Juniors are paid a percentage of the adult rate for their level:

There is an important exception: junior employees who serve alcohol must be paid the adult rate. Employees under 18 can work no more than 10 hours in a shift. State liquor laws also set minimum ages for serving alcohol, which are usually 18.

Other rules that affect the cost of a shift

• Minimum engagement: casuals must be engaged for at least 2 consecutive hours. A casual called in on a public holiday must be paid for at least 2 hours.
• Superannuation: 12% of ordinary time earnings, which include penalty rates paid for ordinary hours.
• Overtime: work beyond ordinary hours attracts overtime rates. Check the award before you roster long doubles.
• Allowances: some roles attract allowances, such as for split shifts, laundry of special clothing or using a personal vehicle.

Worked examples

A casual waiter on a Saturday wedding

A level 2 casual working 6 hours on a Saturday earns 6 x $40.62 = $243.72. Add 12% super of $29.25 and the cost to the venue is about $272.97 before any allowances or workers' compensation insurance.

A casual bar attendant on a Thursday night

A level 1 casual working from 5pm to 11pm on a Thursday earns 6 x $33.05 = $198.30, plus the evening loading for the 4 hours after 7pm: 4 x $2.95 = $11.80. Total wages are $210.10, plus super.

A casual chef de partie on a Sunday

A level 6 casual working 8 hours on a Sunday earns 8 x $56.23 = $449.84, plus super.

For a full event budget, see our guides to bartender hire costs and event staff hire.

Common pay mistakes to avoid

• Paying a flat hourly rate that does not cover the weekend and public holiday rates for the hours actually worked.
• Leaving staff at the introductory level after three months.
• Classifying a barista or cocktail bartender at level 1 when the work is level 2 or 3.
• Paying juniors junior rates while they serve alcohol.
• Sending casuals home after an hour without paying the 2 hour minimum.
• Forgetting super on casual wages.

Payslips and records

Paying the right rate is only half the job. Employers must also:

• Give each employee a payslip within one working day of payday, showing the hours, rates, penalty rates, loadings, deductions and super.
• Keep time and wages records for seven years.
• Record start and finish times for every shift, so that evening loadings and weekend rates can be checked.
• Pay super at least quarterly, or more often if your payroll provider requires it.

A simple habit helps: compare the roster, the timesheet and the payslip for one casual each week. If the three do not match, find out why before it happens across the whole team.

How to check a hospitality payslip

1. Find the classification. The payslip or employment letter should show the level. Check it against the work actually done, using the table above.
2. Split the hours by day. Weekday, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday hours each have a different rate.
3. Check the evening hours. Monday to Friday hours after 7pm should attract the evening loading.
4. Check the minimum. Any casual engagement shorter than 2 hours should still be paid as 2 hours.
5. Check super. It should be 12% of ordinary time earnings.

If something looks wrong, raise it early. Most underpayments are payroll setup errors that are easy to fix once spotted, and back pay is far cheaper when it covers weeks rather than years.

Find staff at the right level

On Yakka Hospitality you agree the rate directly with each worker, so you can book a level 2 waiter or waitress, a cocktail bartender or a chef de partie and pay at least the award. Workers list their roles and experience on their profiles, which makes it easier to match the classification to the job.

Pay figures in this guide come from the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009) rates that apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Restaurants and cafes are usually covered by the Restaurant Industry Award and registered clubs by the Clubs Award, which have their own rates. Always confirm the award that covers your business with the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Book your next shift on Yakka Hospitality

Yakka Hospitality connects venues with casual hospitality workers across Australia. Post the role, suburb, start time and rate in the app, or browse the worker directory and request a quote from the people you like. A Quick Post is always free, a full Post is A$25 with your first one free, and there is no fee per hire. See pricing or download the app to post your first shift.