17. Allowances

[Varied by PR718892, PR719045, PR729333, PR729518, PR740758, PR740924, PR762183, PR762350, PR773961, PR774129, PR786612, PR786782, PR799354, PR799510]

NOTE: Regulations 3.33(3) and 3.46(1)(g) of Fair Work Regulations 2009 set out the requirements for pay records and the content of payslips including the requirement to separately identify any allowance paid.

17.1 Employers must pay to an employee the allowances the employee is entitled to under clause 17.

NOTE: See Schedule C—Summary of Monetary Allowances for a summary of monetary allowances and method of adjustment.

17.2 Wage-related allowances

(a) All-purpose allowances

Allowances paid for all purposes are included in the rate of pay of an employee who is entitled to the allowance, when calculating any penalties, loadings or payment while they are on annual leave. The following allowance is paid for all purposes under this award:

(i) Leading hand allowance (clause 17.2(b)).

(b) Leading hand allowance

[17.2(b)(i) varied by PR718892, PR729333, PR740758, PR762183, PR773961, PR786612, PR799354 ppc 01Jul26]

(i) A leading hand in charge of one or more employees must be paid, in addition to the minimum wage for the highest classification supervised, or their own minimum wage, whichever is higher, the following:

In charge of | $ per week

1 to 19 employees | 40.96

20 employees or more | 68.45

(ii) The leading hand allowance applies for all purposes of this award.

(c) Cold work allowance

[17.2(c) varied by PR718892, PR729333, PR740758, PR762183, PR773961, PR786612, PR799354 ppc 01Jul26]

A cold work allowance is payable to an employee working for more than one hour in a place where the temperature is reduced by artificial means as follows:

Temperature | $ per hour or part thereof

From -15.6°C to -18.0°C | 1.00

-18.0°C to -23.3°C | 1.75

Less than -23.3°C | 2.75

(d) First aid allowance

[17.2(d) varied by PR718892, PR729333, PR740758, PR762183, PR773961, PR786612, PR799354 ppc 01Jul26]

A first aid allowance of $22.42 per week is payable to an employee who has been trained to provide first aid and holds an appropriate first aid qualification such as a certificate from St John Ambulance or similar body if appointed by the employer to perform first aid duty.

17.3 Expense-related allowances

(a) Meal allowance

[17.3(a) varied by PR719045, PR729518, PR740924, PR762350, PR774129, PR786782, PR799510 ppc 01Jul26]

A meal allowance of $19.14 is payable to an employee who works at least one and a half hours’ overtime after working ordinary hours, except where a meal is provided by the employer.

(b) Vehicle allowance

[17.3(b) varied by PR729518, PR740924, PR762350, PR774129, PR799510 ppc 01Jul26]

A vehicle allowance of $1.00 per kilometre is payable to an employee who is required to use their own vehicle to travel from one place to another during working time.

17.4 The allowances in clauses 17.2(c) to 17.2(d) and 17.3 are not subject to any premium or penalty additions.

2. Definitions

[Varied by PR733892, PR774786, PR777307, PR795698]

In this award, unless the contrary intention appears:

Act means the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).

adult employee means an employee 18 years of age and over.

afternoon shift means a shift of ordinary hours finishing at or after 5.00 pm or, where the ordinary hours are extended by agreement, 6.00 pm and at or before midnight.

all purposes means the payment will be included in the rate of pay of an employee who is entitled to the allowance, when calculating any penalties or loadings or payment while they are on annual leave (see clause 17.2(a)).

[Definition of casual employee inserted by PR733892 from 27Sep21; varied by PR777307 from 27Aug24]

casual employee has the meaning given by section 15A of the Act.

NOTE: Section 15A of the Act was amended with effect from 26 August 2024. Under clause 102(3) of Schedule 1 to the Act, an existing employee who was a casual employee of an employer under section 15A as it was immediately before that date is taken to be a casual employee of the employer for the purposes of section 15A after that date.

defined benefit member has the meaning given by the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth).

early morning shift means a shift of ordinary hours commencing at or after 2.00 am and before 4.00 am.

employee means national system employee within the meaning of the Act.

[Definition of employee organisation inserted by PR774786; substituted retrospectively by PR795698 ppc 01Jul24]

employee organisation has the meaning given by section 12 of the Act.

employer means national system employer within the meaning of the Act.

[Definition of enterprise inserted by PR774786 from 01Jul24]

enterprise has the meaning given by section 12 of the Act.

exempt public sector superannuation scheme has the meaning given by the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth).

leading hand means an employee who is given by the employer, or their agent, the responsibility for directing and/or supervising the work of other persons.

MySuper product has the meaning given by the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth).

NES means the National Employment Standards as contained in sections 59 to 131 of the Act.

night shift means a shift finishing after midnight and at or before 8.00 am.

on-hire means the on-hire of an employee by their employer to a client, where such employee works under the general guidance and instruction of the client or a representative of the client.

ordinary hourly rate means the hourly rate for the employee’s classification specified in clause 15—Minimum rates, plus any allowances specified as being included in the employee’s ordinary hourly rate or payable for all purposes.

permanent night shift employee is an employee who:

(a) works night shift only; or

(b) stays on night shift for a longer period than 4 consecutive weeks; or

(c) works on a night shift which does not rotate or alternate with another shift or with day work so as to give the employee at least one third of their working time off night shift in each shift cycle.

poultry processing industry has the meaning given in clause 4.2.

[Definition of small business employer inserted by PR774786 from 01Jul24]

small business employer has the meaning given by section 23 of the Act.

standard rate means the minimum hourly rate for the Level 2 classification in clause 15.1.

[Definition of workplace delegate inserted by PR774786 from 01Jul24]

workplace delegate has the meaning given by section 350C(1) of the Act.