Clerks—Private Sector Award pay rates 2026
Minimum rates for the Clerks—Private Sector Award (MA000002) from 1 July 2026: 10 classifications on 10 distinct hourly rates, with casual, weekend and junior rates.
This page lists the minimum pay rates under the Clerks Private Sector Award, set out by classification. For each clerical role you can see the base hourly and weekly minimum, the casual rate, penalty rates for evening, weekend and public holiday work, and junior rates where they apply.
The Clerks Private Sector Award covers office and administrative employees working for private businesses across almost every industry, wherever clerical work is the main duty. It applies to receptionists, data entry and payroll staff, accounts and bookkeeping clerks, administrative assistants, secretaries, call centre operators and office managers. The classifications reflect the level of skill, judgement and responsibility involved, from junior clerks doing routine tasks under supervision through to senior administrators who plan and coordinate the work of others. Public sector clerical staff, and clerical roles in industries that have their own specific award, are generally covered elsewhere.
Pay rates by classification
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly | Annual | Casual/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — Year 1 | $26.97 | $1,024.70 | $53,428 | $33.71 |
| Level 1 — Year 2 | $28.24 | $1,073.10 | $55,951 | $35.30 |
| Level 1 — Year 3 | $29.11 | $1,106.20 | $57,677 | $36.39 |
| Level 2 — Year 1 | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,350 | $36.81 |
| Level 2 — Year 2 | $30.00 | $1,139.90 | $59,434 | $37.50 |
| Level 3 | $31.11 | $1,182.10 | $61,635 | $38.89 |
| Level 4 | $32.67 | $1,241.40 | $64,727 | $40.84 |
| Level 5 | $33.99 | $1,291.80 | $67,354 | $42.49 |
| Call centre principal customer contact specialist | $31.33 | $1,190.40 | $62,067 | $39.16 |
| Call centre technical associate | $37.24 | $1,415.10 | $73,783 | $46.55 |
How the pay scale works
Adult rates in the Clerks—Private Sector Award run from $26.97 an hour (Level 1 — Year 1) to $37.24 (Call centre technical associate), a spread of $10.27 an hour or 38.1%, $390.40 a week full-time.
The award’s 10 classifications in this dataset share 10 distinct hourly rates.
A casual Level 1 — Year 1 is paid $33.71 an hour, 25% above the full-time hourly rate, in place of paid leave.
What changed on 1 July 2026
For the entry classification, Level 1 — Year 1:
The hourly rate rose $1.23 (4.8%) from $25.74 on 30 June 2026 to $26.97, and the full-time weekly rate rose $46.50.
Penalty rates
| Day | Clerks | Median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 125% | 150% | 13 of 19 |
| Sunday | 200% | 187.5% | 1 of 20 |
| Public holiday | 250% | 250% | 1 of 22 |
The Saturday rate of 125% is lower than the median of 150% across the 19 awards with a Saturday rate for their entry classification, and ranks 13th.
The Sunday rate of 200% is higher than the median of 187.5% across the 20 awards with a Sunday rate for their entry classification, and ranks 1st.
Every Clerks—Private Sector Award penalty rate, by classification
Compared with related awards
| Award | Entry classification | Hourly | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking, Finance and Insurance Award | Banking, finance and insurance employee level 1 | $26.97 | — |
| Real Estate Industry Award | Real Estate Employee Level 1 (Associate Level) — first 12 months of employment at this level | $26.59 | — |
The Clerks—Private Sector Award entry rate is $0.38 an hour higher than the Real Estate Industry Award entry rate of $26.59.
Allowances
The pay database lists 1 wage-related allowance and 6 expense-related allowances for this award. All-purpose allowances count towards penalty rates, overtime and leave.
| Allowance | Amount | Paid | All-purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| First aid allowance | $16.79 | per week | no |
| Laundry allowance—Full-time employee | $3.64 | per week | no |
| Laundry allowance—Part-time or casual employee | $0.73 | per shift | no |
| Meal allowance—more than one and a half hours of overtime without 24 hours’ notice—First meal | $20.75 | per occasion | no |
| Meal allowance—more than one and a half hours of overtime without 24 hours’ notice—Further 4 hours’ overtime | $16.62 | per occasion | no |
| Vehicle allowance—Motor car | $1.00 | per km | no |
| Vehicle allowance—Motorcycle | $0.34 | per km | no |
Look up a rate
Rates current as of 1 July 2026. FWC pay database, Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020 (MA000002), checked (how). General information only: your award or enterprise agreement prevails if it differs.