My Saturday Rate Looks Wrong Under the Clerks Award
Last updated: April 2026 · MA000002
Some office roles require Saturday work — real estate admin, medical receptionists, retail back-office. Under the Clerks Award, Saturday hours attract a higher rate. Full-time and part-time employees get 1.5× the ordinary rate for ordinary Saturday hours. If your pay is the same on Saturday as it is Monday through Friday, you're being underpaid.
Saturday is not a normal weekday under the Clerks Award. Every Saturday hour you work at the weekday rate is money you're owed.
Real example
Scenario: Level 2 clerk, works every Saturday morning (4 hours) at a real estate agency. Paid the same $26.96/hr weekday rate.
Should be paid: $26.96 × 1.5 = $33.70/hr × 4hrs = $134.80
Actually paid: $26.96 × 4hrs = $107.84
Underpayment: $26.96 every Saturday. Over a year: $1,401.92.
Saturday overtime
If you work overtime on a Saturday (beyond your ordinary hours), the rate increases further. The first 3 hours of Saturday overtime are at 1.5×, then 2× after that. These rates apply regardless of whether Saturday is your regular working day.
Frequently asked questions
My employer says Saturday is just a normal working day — is that right?
Under the Clerks Award, Saturday attracts a penalty rate of 1.5× for full-time and part-time employees for ordinary hours. If Saturday is a regular part of your roster, you still get the Saturday loading. The employer cannot average it into your weekday rate.
I'm casual and work Saturdays — do I get both the casual loading and the Saturday rate?
Yes. Casual employees receive the Saturday casual rate, which includes both the casual loading and the Saturday penalty. It's a single combined rate, not one or the other. Check your payslip for the correct Saturday casual rate for your classification level.
What if I only work a few hours on Saturday, not a full day?
The Saturday penalty rate applies to every hour worked on Saturday, regardless of the duration. Whether you work 2 hours or 8 hours, each hour must be paid at the Saturday rate for your employment type and classification level.
Work Saturdays? Check that your rate matches what the award requires.
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General information only — not legal advice. Verify at fairwork.gov.au.