Building Award
Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020
Ask FairWork Mate AI about the Building Award
Plain-English answers grounded on the full MA000020 document — every clause, variation, and classification. From $499/mo (50% off first month).
Who does this award cover?
The Building Award covers employees working in construction, including the following common roles:
Pay rates by classification
| Classification | Base (per hour) | Casual (+25%) | Weekly (38h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CW/ECW Level 1 | $25.46 | $31.83 | $967.48 |
| CW/ECW Level 2 | $25.10 | $31.38 | $953.80 |
| CW/ECW Level 3 | $26.83 | $33.54 | $1019.54 |
| CW/ECW Level 4 | $28.36 | $35.45 | $1077.68 |
| CW/ECW Level 5 | $29.64 | $37.05 | $1126.32 |
| CW/ECW Level 6 | $31.07 | $38.84 | $1180.66 |
| CW/ECW Level 7 | $32.82 | $41.03 | $1247.16 |
| CW/ECW Level 8 | $34.27 | $42.84 | $1302.26 |
Rates shown are hourly permanent (base) and casual (base + 25% loading). Always verify with the official FWC document — rates change annually on 1 July following the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review.
Penalty rates
How casual overtime is calculated
One of the most common payroll questions under the Building Award: when a casual works overtime or weekend hours, does the 1.5× or 2× multiplier apply to the base rate, or to the 25%-loaded casual rate? The answer depends on how the award is drafted.
Method for the Building Award
Additive — penalty % + 25% loading applied to the base rate
Source: Clause 12.5 · Verified against the award text
Where the relevant penalty rate is 150%, the employee must be paid 175% of the ordinary hourly rate; where 200%, 225%. The 25% casual loading is added to the penalty percentage, not compounded.
| Method | Calculation | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Additive (used by this award) | $28.36 × 175% | $49.63 |
| Compounded | $35.45 × 150% | $53.18 |
| Separate | $28.36 × 150% | $42.54 |
Worked example: casual CW4 (base $28.36/hr), first block of overtime at 150%. Different awards produce different hourly rates from the same base because the 25% loading is applied differently.
Calculate casual overtime for any scenario →Break entitlements
| Shift length | Meal break | Rest break | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 5 hours | — | — | No |
| 5–8 hours | 30 min | — | No |
| 8–10 hours | 30 min | 10 min | Yes |
| 10+ hours | 60 min | 20 min | Yes |
Building Award enforcement cases
Real Fair Work Commission, Federal Court, and FWO outcomes citing this award.
Want the full MA000020 document?
This page covers the headline rates, penalties, and break rules. The full award has dozens more clauses: allowances, overtime formulas, rostering rules, dispute procedures, and classification descriptors. FairWork Mate AI answers plain-English questions grounded on every clause. The Business API returns structured data for payroll and HR systems.
Question about the Building Award?
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