Hospitality Award Penalty Rates 2025–26
Last updated: March 2026 · Rates effective 1 July 2025 · MA000009
If you work weekends or public holidays in hospitality, there's a high chance your penalty rates have been applied incorrectly — or not applied at all. Sunday shifts are the most frequently underpaid scenario across the entire award. This page shows every rate you're entitled to and the calculator checks your actual shifts.
If you work Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, or late nights in any hospitality venue — this applies to you.
Real example
Scenario: Casual kitchen hand, Level 1. 6-hour Sunday shift.
What they were paid: $0.00/hr (standard casual rate)
What should have happened: Sunday casual rate at Level 1 — $0.00/hr
Underpayment: ~$0.00 for one shift. ~$0.00/year working one Sunday per week.
Why it happens: Employer pays the same casual rate every day. The Sunday multiplier is never applied.
At a glance — Hospitality penalty rate multipliers
- Saturday → 1.25× ordinary rate
- Sunday → 1.5× ordinary rate
- Public holiday → 2.25× ordinary rate
- Evening (7pm–midnight) → +$0.00/hr on top of base
- Late night (midnight–7am) → +$0.00/hr on top of base
Hospitality Award Penalty Rates Australia (MA000009)
The Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 sets these rates as legal minimums. Your employer cannot pay less, regardless of what your contract or roster says.
If your payslip doesn't clearly show each day's rate separately, that's often a red flag.
Full penalty rates table — Level 1 (adult)
| When you work | Permanent | Casual | Example (6hr shift) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday ordinary | $0.00/hr | $0.00/hr | Permanent: $0.00 |
| Weekday evening (7pm–midnight) | $0.00/hr | $0.00/hr | Permanent: $0.00 |
| Late night (midnight–7am) | $0.00/hr | $0.00/hr | Permanent: $0.00 |
| Saturday | $0.00/hr | $0.00/hr | Casual: $0.00 |
| Sunday | $0.00/hr | $0.00/hr | Casual: $0.00 |
| Public holiday | $0.00/hr | $0.00/hr | Either: $0.00 |
Rates for Level 1 adult employees. Higher classification levels receive higher dollar amounts. Rates based on the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000009, effective 1 July 2025.
If your Sunday rate is close to your Tuesday rate, check your pay now.
Not sure if your Hospitality Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required
Evening and late-night penalties
This is one of the least understood parts of the award — and one of the biggest sources of underpayment.
The evening and late-night loadings are additions to your base rate, applied per hour. They stack on top of any weekend rate already in effect.
Mini example
You work a Saturday shift from 8pm to 2am.
- Hours 8pm–midnight = Saturday rate + evening loading
- Hours midnight–2am = Sunday rate + late-night loading
Most employers pay Saturday rate for the whole shift. That's wrong from midnight onwards.
Most payslips don't show these separately — but they must still be paid.
⚠️ Common penalty rate underpayments
Flat rate every day of the week
One rate regardless of Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday. Unless the flat rate has been formally assessed against every penalty scenario, this is almost always underpayment.
Casual loading treated as a substitute for penalty rates
The 25% casual loading and penalty rates are separate entitlements — both apply. See the Hospitality Award casual employees guide for how they stack.
Wrong public holiday multiplier
Some employers apply 2× when the award specifies 2.25×. On a full shift, that's a meaningful shortfall on every public holiday worked.
Shift crossing midnight not split correctly
Saturday rates end at midnight. From midnight, Sunday rates apply. Many employers pay one rate for the whole overnight shift.
These issues rarely happen in isolation — and even one can result in hundreds or thousands in underpayments per year.
If any of these sound familiar, check your pay now — it takes 2 minutes.
Not sure if your Hospitality Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required
Penalty rates by classification level
Because penalty rates are calculated from your base rate, your classification level directly affects every penalty you're paid. A misclassified worker is underpaid on every affected shift.
| Level | Sunday (permanent) | Sunday (casual) | Public holiday |
|---|
Rates based on the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000009, effective 1 July 2025.
Not sure of your classification? See the Hospitality Award classifications guide
Frequently asked questions
Do casual employees get penalty rates?
Yes — and any employer who says otherwise is wrong. If you've been told this, there's a strong chance your pay is incorrect. Casual penalty rates are non-negotiable.
Can my employer pay a flat rate that covers everything?
Only if they can prove, with actual numbers, that the flat rate exceeds award entitlements in every scenario including public holidays and late-night shifts. In practice, most can't.
What if my shift started Saturday and ended Sunday morning?
Sunday rates apply from midnight. The Saturday rate covers only the pre-midnight hours. Paying one rate for the whole overnight shift is a frequently missed issue.
Can I recover penalty rates I wasn't paid?
Yes — up to 6 years back under the Fair Work Act. The Fair Work Ombudsman can recover these on your behalf.
Don't guess — small underpayments add up fast.
Enter your shifts below and see exactly what you should have been paid — including every penalty rate, evening loading, and public holiday multiplier.
It takes 2 minutes — and you'll know for certain if you've been underpaid.
Based on official pay rates from the Fair Work Commission (MA000009).
Not sure if your Hospitality Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required
Rates sourced from the Fair Work Commission pay guide for the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009), effective 1 July 2025. General information only — not legal advice. Verify at fairwork.gov.au.