How far back do Australian award pay rates go?

The Fair Work Commission's published pay database holds rates from 1 July 2015 onwards. FairWork Mate carries 142,996 rate records across 61 operative dates and 156 awards, with most classifications having 10 to 12 published versions — one for each annual wage review since 2015. Coverage is not complete: some classifications have gaps where no rate was published, and those are shown as gaps rather than filled in.

Which pay rate applies to a back-pay claim spanning several years?

Each period must be paid at the rate operative during that period, not at today's rate. A claim running from July 2023 to June 2026 crosses three annual wage reviews, so it has to be split into at least three stretches and each priced separately. Using the current rate for the whole claim overstates the earlier years; using the old rate understates the later ones. This tool splits the period at every rate change automatically.

How long do I have to claim underpaid wages in Australia?

Under the Fair Work Act, an application to recover unpaid wages generally must be made within 6 years of when the amount became payable. That is why rate history matters: a claim can legitimately reach back six years, across six different rate versions.

Why does this tool sometimes say no rate was published?

Because the Commission's register genuinely has gaps for some classifications in some years. Rather than carrying the previous year's rate forward — which would present a figure the Commission never set — those stretches are shown as unpublished, so you know to verify the dates directly rather than relying on an invented number.

Historical Award Pay Rates

Look up what an award classification should have been paid on any date back to 2015, see every rate change since, and split a back-pay period at each wage review.

Last verified: 5 September 2026Jump to calculator ↓

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General information and estimates only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Always check your specific award, agreement or contract, or a qualified professional, before you rely on the result.

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