Washing My Own Uniform for Fast Food — Is There an Allowance?
Last updated: March 2026 · MA000003
Yes — you're entitled to $1.25 per shift if you wash your own uniform. Under the Fast Food Industry Award, your employer must pay a laundry allowance for every shift where you are required to launder a uniform they make you wear. Most fast food workers never see this on their payslip.
The rule
The Fast Food Industry Award (MA000003) requires employers to pay a laundry allowance of $1.25 per shift to any employee who is required to wear a uniform and launder it themselves. The allowance applies whether you're full-time, part-time, or casual. If your employer provides on-site laundering or a laundering service, the allowance does not apply. But if you're taking your uniform home and washing it yourself, you are owed this amount every single shift.
What it adds up to
Laundry allowance, 5 shifts per week
- Per shift: $1.25
- Per week (5 shifts): $6.25
- Per year: $325.00
- Over 6 years (recovery limit): $1950.00
It's a small amount per shift, but over years of employment it adds up — and your employer is legally required to pay it.
What to check on your payslip
- Is a laundry allowance listed as a separate line item on your payslip?
- Does the amount match $1.25 multiplied by the number of shifts you worked?
- Are you required to wear a uniform that your employer does not launder for you?
- Have you been receiving this allowance since your first shift?
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the laundry allowance under the Fast Food Award?
The laundry allowance is $1.25 per shift where you are required to launder your own uniform. It applies every shift you work, not weekly or fortnightly. If you work 5 shifts a week, that's $6.25 per week.
Do I get the laundry allowance if my employer provides a uniform but no laundering?
Yes. If your employer requires you to wear a uniform and does not provide laundering facilities or a laundering service, you are entitled to the laundry allowance for each shift you work. It doesn't matter whether the uniform was free — what matters is who washes it.
Can I claim back-pay for laundry allowance I was never paid?
Yes. Like any award entitlement, you can recover unpaid laundry allowances going back up to 6 years. At $1.25 per shift over 5 shifts per week, that's approximately $325 per year — or nearly $2,000 over 6 years. Contact the Fair Work Ombudsman to lodge a free complaint.
General information only — not legal advice. Verify details at fairwork.gov.au.