There are rules about what employees get at work, such as what hours they work and how often they are allowed to have a break.
These rules can be set out in different places such as an award, registered agreement or an employment contract.
Awards are legal documents that provide the minimum pay rates and conditions of employment.
An employee’s minimum entitlements are set out in the National Employment Standards (NES). A registered agreement can provide for other entitlements, but:
- the entitlements can’t be less than what is in the NES
- if an award covers the employee, the entitlements can’t be less overall than the award.
Employment contracts also can’t reduce someone’s entitlements under the NES, award or registered agreement.
Interactive tools
The Fast Food Industry Award covers businesses and employees in the fast food industry. The Restaurant Industry Award covers businesses and employees in the restaurant or café industry. The FWO’s interactive Fast Food Award summary tool and the Restaurant Award summary tool can help you find pay rates and information about your workplace entitlements and obligations, such as pay rates, penalty and overtime rates, break entitlements and allowances under these awards.
The FWO’s interactive tools for the Restaurant Industry Award and Fast Food Industry Award
Common questions in the fast food and restaurant industries
Find everything you need to know about common questions and issues in the fast food, restaurant and café industries from the FWO, including:
- Wages and penalty rates
- Salary payments and flat rates
- Hours of work and rosters
- Leave
- Notice of termination and final pay
- Pay slips and record-keeping
- Trial shifts
- Young workers
- More information
Want more information?
You can:
- visit fairwork.gov.au/internationalstudents
- find information in your own language at fairwork.gov.au/languages
- follow the FWO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn
- register for a range of free webinars at fairwork.gov.au/webinars
