Strategies for effectively dealing with anxiety
5 November 2023
PENALTY RATE CHANGES for CASUAL Employee’s | HAIR and BEAUTY AWARD
February 3, 2022
If you are employing staff on a casual rate basis, please take note:
Penalty rates for casual hair and beauty employees working on weekends have increased from 31st January 2022.
Working Saturdays – From 31 January 2022 to 29 April 2022
Example
We have adapted this example from the Fairwork example to suit our industry.
Mary is a sole trader who operates a salon.
Mary casual employee Dianne works on weekends when it gets busy.
Saturday work
Previously, when Dianne worked on Saturdays, she was paid the Saturday penalty rate of 133% of the ordinary hourly rate for a full-time employee at her level.
From 31 January 2022, when Dianne works on Saturdays, Mary needs to pay her a Saturday penalty of 138% (inclusive of her casual loading). This will increase again from 30 April 2022, 31 December 2022, 30 April 2023 and 31 December 2023.
Sunday work
Starting from 31 January 2022, casual employees who work ordinary or overtime hours on a Sunday, need to be paid a Sunday penalty rate of 205% (including casual loading).
The penalty rate percentage will increase in further instalments over 2 years as per the following table:
| Date | Sunday penalty rate percentage (% of ordinary hourly rate) |
| 3 November 2021 to 30 January 2022 | 200% |
| 31 January 2022 to 29 April 2022 | 205% |
| 30 April 2022 to 30 December 2022 | 210% |
| 31 December 2022 to 29 April 2023 | 215% |
| 30 April 2023 to 30 December 2023 | 220% |
| From 31 December 2023 | 225% |
Example: Working Sundays – Overtime – From 31 January 2022 to 29 April 2022
Jane works casually at a beauty salon.
It’s the first weekend of February in 2022. Jane’s employer, Asher, asks Jane if she can work from 3 pm until 7 pm on Sunday. Jane agrees.
Asher explains that Jane will be paid 205% (inclusive of her casual loading).
Because this penalty applies for all ordinary or overtime hours worked on Sundays, Jane will be paid 205% for all hours worked between 3 pm and 7 pm.
IMPACT OF ANNUAL WAGE CHANGES
Every year, the Commission reviews the national minimum wage and all minimum award wages. Any changes to the national minimum wage and award wages are usually announced around 1 July each year.
Depending on the changes decided by the Commission, award pay rates could go up or down. Employers and employees covered by the Hair and Beauty Award need to factor in these annual wage changes on top of the increases to casual weekend penalty rates.
