Nurses Award
Nurses Award 2020
Ask FairWork Mate AI about the Nurses Award
Plain-English answers grounded on the full MA000034 document — every clause, variation, and classification. From $499/mo (50% off first month).
Who does this award cover?
The Nurses Award covers employees working in nursing, including the following common roles:
Pay rates by classification
| Classification | Base (per hour) | Casual (+25%) | Weekly (38h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse Level 1.1 | $30.64 | $38.30 | $1164.32 |
| Registered Nurse Level 1.2 | $31.85 | $39.81 | $1210.30 |
| Registered Nurse Level 1.3 | $32.98 | $41.23 | $1253.24 |
| Registered Nurse Level 2 | $34.70 | $43.38 | $1318.60 |
| Registered Nurse Level 3 | $37.12 | $46.40 | $1410.56 |
| Enrolled Nurse Level 1 | $26.58 | $33.23 | $1010.04 |
| Enrolled Nurse Level 2 | $27.41 | $34.26 | $1041.58 |
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 Nurses 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 Nurses Award
Compounded — overtime multiplier applied to the 25%-loaded casual rate
Source: Clause 11.1 / Clause 21.3 · Verified against the award text
Award defines 'casual hourly rate' = minimum hourly rate + 25% loading. Overtime and weekend rates are explicitly stated as a percentage of the casual hourly rate (e.g. 150% of the casual hourly rate for first 2 hours Mon–Sat).
| Method | Calculation | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Additive | $34.70 × 175% | $60.73 |
| Compounded (used by this award) | $43.38 × 150% | $65.06 |
| Separate | $34.70 × 150% | $52.05 |
Worked example: casual RN Level 2 (base $34.70/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 |
| 5–7.6 hours | 30 min | — | No |
| 7.6–10 hours | 30 min | 10 min | Yes |
| 10+ hours | 60 min | 20 min | Yes |
Nurses Award enforcement cases
Real Fair Work Commission, Federal Court, and FWO outcomes citing this award.
Want the full MA000034 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 Nurses Award?
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