Fair Work Pay Guide

Pay sounds straightforward until you try to compare hourly rates, casual loading, and annual income in your head. This tool helps turn "I think that's about right" into an actual number you can use.

Say you're working casually at $31.20 an hour for 24 hours a week. Your weekly gross pay would be $748.80, and over a full year that comes to about $38,937.60 before tax, assuming your hours stay steady. Or maybe you're a permanent worker on $29 an hour for 38 hours a week, which gives you $1,102 a week and about $57,304 a year gross. Seeing those numbers clearly makes it much easier to compare job offers, check a roster change, or work out whether a "small" pay rise is actually worth much.

How to get the most out of this

Enter the rate you are actually paid, not the one you think should apply. Then choose the right employment type, because casual loading changes the result straight away. If your hours move around, try a few scenarios — your usual week, a quiet week, and a busy one. That gives you a more realistic feel for your income than relying on a single perfect-case number.

One important reality check: the National Minimum Wage is only the floor. Plenty of workers are covered by awards or enterprise agreements that set higher rates, plus penalties for weekends, public holidays, early starts, or overtime. So use this calculator as a quick guide, then compare it with your award if something looks off.

FAQs

Is the minimum wage the same as my legal pay rate?

Not always. Many jobs sit under an award with higher minimums, so the national figure is a baseline, not the final answer for every worker.

Does casual loading mean casual work always pays better?

On the hourly rate, often yes. But casual workers usually miss out on paid leave, so the better setup depends on your hours, stability, and what benefits matter to you.

Can this calculator include overtime or penalty rates automatically?

It gives you a strong starting point, but award-specific overtime and penalties can vary a lot. If those matter for your role, check the award details alongside this estimate.