What is an Enterprise Agreement (EA) in Australia?

An Enterprise Agreement (EA, sometimes called an EBA — Enterprise Bargaining Agreement) is a workplace-specific agreement between an employer and its employees that sets pay rates and conditions, replacing the modern award for those covered by it. EAs must pass the BOOT (Better Off Overall Test) — they cannot leave employees worse off than the award. EAs are filed with and approved by the Fair Work Commission (FWC).

How do I find my Enterprise Agreement?

Search the FWC's Document Search tool by your employer's name. Most large Australian employers (Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings, McDonald's, BHP, Australia Post, Qantas) have their EAs publicly available. This tool seeds the most-searched ones and lets you compare them directly to their matching modern award baseline.

Is an EA always better than the modern award?

An EA must pass the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) to be approved by the Fair Work Commission, meaning workers must be no worse off overall compared to the award. However, this is an OVERALL test, so an EA might trade lower hourly rates for better overtime, allowances, or other conditions — and still pass BOOT. This tool shows the hourly rate difference; check the full EA for the complete picture.

What does it mean if my EA pays below the modern award?

An EA cannot lawfully leave employees worse off than the award. If your hourly rate appears below the award baseline, possible reasons include: (1) the EA may have been varied or replaced by a more recent agreement, (2) there may be additional payments, allowances or conditions that bring your overall position above the award, or (3) there may be a compliance issue worth raising with FWC or FWO. Don't assume — check the full EA document at the FWC link provided.

Are these EA rates current?

The seed dataset uses publicly-known approximate rates from the most recent EA filings at FWC, with last-verified dates noted per agreement. Annual wage review increases (each 1 July) and EA-specific anniversary increases mean rates change frequently. Always verify against your actual EA document — link provided per agreement — before relying on these for financial decisions.

EA Finder + Comparator

Search your employer's Enterprise Agreement and compare its pay rates to the modern award. The only free tool in Australia that does this. No login. No paywall.

Last verified: 1 July 2025

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We have 10 of Australia's most-searched EAs seeded. For others, click "I'll paste my own rate" above.

How this works

• The seeded EA rates are publicly-known approximate base rates from FWC filings, with last-verified dates noted per employer. Annual wage review (1 July) and EA anniversary increases mean rates change frequently.
• The modern award rate is pulled from Fair Work Commission published classification rates (current to FWM's award database).
• This tool compares HOURLY BASE rates only. Penalty rates, allowances, and non-pay conditions are not included — but they often account for why one EA pays a lower base than the award yet still passes the BOOT (Better Off Overall Test).
• If your EA appears below the award, that's either a BOOT-balanced trade for better non-pay conditions, an outdated rate, or a compliance issue. Don't assume — open the EA filing at FWC and check the totality.

Enterprise Agreement vs Award: Which Actually Pays More?

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Complete guide to modern award pay rates for 2025-26. Covers the 3.75% increase, how to find your award, minimum wage levels, penalty rates, overtime, and allowances under the Fair Work system.

Modern Awards Explained: How to Find and Comply With Your Award

A plain-English guide to modern awards in Australia for 2026. Learn what a modern award is, how to determine which one applies to your business, pay rates, penalty and overtime rates, allowances, and the most common compliance mistakes employers make.

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General information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.

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