Pharmaceutical Award Casual Pay Rates 2025–26
Rates effective 1 July 2025 · MA000069
Casual employees under the Pharmaceutical Award receive a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate. This loading compensates for not receiving paid leave, notice of termination, and redundancy pay. The casual loading and penalty rates are separate entitlements — both apply.
What the 25% loading means in practice
The Level 1 base rate is $25.85/hr. With the 25% casual loading, the casual rate is $32.31/hr. On a Sunday, the casual rate attracts the Sunday penalty multiplier on top — making the Sunday casual rate $51.70/hr.
If your Sunday rate is the same as your weekday rate, the penalty multiplier has not been applied.
Casual conversion rights
Under the Fair Work Act, casual employees who have worked regular hours for at least 12 months may request conversion to permanent (full-time or part-time) employment. Employers must offer conversion to eligible casual employees, or provide written reasons for not doing so.
Do casual penalty rates stack?
Casual penalty rate multipliers are applied to the casual base rate (which already includes the 25% loading). The loading does not replace or reduce penalty rates — they are completely separate entitlements.
See also: Penalty rates | Full pay rate tables | Casual loading explained
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman — casual employees. Casual loading and conversion rights are set by the Fair Work Act 2009 and the Pharmaceutical Award.
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