All pay rates under the Legal Services Award 2020 (MA000116) for 2026-27, including base rates, casual rates, penalty rates, and break rules.
Last verified: 21 May 2026MA000116 · Legal Services
Common roles: Legal secretary, Paralegal, Law clerk, Legal assistant, Legal receptionist
$28.24
Base rate/hr
$35.30
Casual rate/hr
| Level | Base Rate/hr | Casual Rate/hr | Weekly (38hrs) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $28.24 | $35.30 | $1,073.12 | $55,802.24 |
| Level 2 | $29.45 | $36.81 | $1,119.10 | $58,193.20 |
| Level 3 | $31.11 | $38.89 | $1,182.18 | $61,473.36 |
| Level 4 | $32.67 | $40.84 | $1,241.46 | $64,555.92 |
| Level 5 | $33.99 | $42.49 | $1,291.62 | $67,164.24 |
| Law Graduate L5 | $33.99 | $42.49 | $1,291.62 | $67,164.24 |
| Law Clerk L6 | $36.03 | $45.04 | $1,369.14 | $71,195.28 |
Saturday
$42.36/hr
1.5x base
Sunday
$56.48/hr
2x base
Public Holiday
$70.60/hr
2.5x base
Overtime (first 3 hours)
$42.36/hr
1.5x base
Overtime (after 3 hours)
$56.48/hr
2x base
Rates shown for Level 1 ($28.24/hr base).View full penalty rate table →
| Shift Length | Meal Break | Rest Break | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 5 hours | None | None | No |
| 5–7.6 hours | 30 min | None | No |
| 7.6–10 hours | 30 min | 10 min | Yes |
| 10+ hours | 60 min | 20 min | Yes |
Select your classification level and penalty type below.
| Award | Base Rate | Casual Rate | Sunday | Public Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services Award | $28.24/hr | $35.30/hr | $56.48/hr | $70.60/hr |
| Hospitality Award | $26.44/hr | $33.05/hr | $39.66/hr | $59.49/hr |
| Retail Award | $27.81/hr | $34.76/hr | $41.71/hr | $69.52/hr |
| Clerks Award | $26.97/hr | $33.71/hr | $53.94/hr | $67.43/hr |
| Building Award | $26.67/hr | $33.34/hr | $53.34/hr | $66.68/hr |
Under the Legal Services Award (MA000116), the Level 1 base rate is $28.24/hr from 1 July 2025. The casual rate (including 25% loading) is $35.30/hr. Higher classification levels receive progressively higher rates.
Permanent employees under the Legal Services Award receive 2x their base rate for Sunday work. For a Level 1 employee, that's $56.48/hr on Sundays.
Public holiday work under the Legal Services Award is paid at 2.5x the base rate. For Level 1, that's $70.60/hr.
The Legal Services Award covers employees in the legal services industry. Common job titles include Legal secretary, Paralegal, Law clerk, Legal assistant, Legal receptionist, Law graduate, Conveyancing clerk.
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