Modern Award · MA000034

Nurses Award.

Nurses Award 2020. Verified penalty rates, shift loadings, leave loading and RDO arrangements, with a live calculator under the NES.

Sun: 175%PH: 250%5-wk shift workers

✓ Free, no sign-up|Live|Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) s.87

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What do you want to calculate?

State or territory

Employment type

Full-time38 hrs/weekPart-timePro-rataMost askedCasual25% loadingShift worker5-week rule

Hours per weekStandard FT week is 38 hours.

Hourly rate (AUD)

For loading & payout values.

Employment start

Calculate up to

Here's your entitlement

AU$6,268.17

Total annual leave value (incl. 17.5% loading) for 52 weeks of service.

4.0 wks

Entitlement

152.42 hrs

Accrued

19.1 days

Working days

See full calculationFair Work Act 2009 (Cth) s.87

Component	Formula	Value
Accrual rate (FULL-TIME)	4 wks × 38h ÷ 52	2.923 hrs/wk
Hours accrued	2.923 × 52 wks	152.42 hrs
Hourly base rate	-	$35.00
Base leave value	152.42 × $35.00	$5,334.62
17.5% leave loading	base × 0.175	+ $933.56
Total payout	-	$6,268.17

Where the value comes from

Base leave

$5,334

17.5% loading

$933

Reviewed bySarah Reid, CAHRICert IV Payroll · Sydney based

Verified expert

Disclaimer: This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation or your circumstances. This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not recommend taking actions based solely on these results. The calculator makes assumptions and results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation, modern awards, or your personal circumstances. You use this information at your own risk. We can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. For official guidance, visit Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au). Fair Work Ombudsman.

Penalty Rates

Nurses penalty rates at a glance.

Rates verified against the official modern award text on awards.fairwork.gov.au.

Hours worked	Full-time / part-time	Casual (incl. loading)
Ordinary hours	100%	125%
Saturday	150%	175%
Sunday	175%	200%
Public holiday	250%	275%
Afternoon shift	112.5%	137.5%
Night shift	115%	140%
Permanent night shift	130%	155%

All values are percentages of the base hourly rate. Casual rates shown are inclusive of the 25% casual loading on top of the FT/PT rate. Source: MA000034 on awards.fairwork.gov.au. For dollar amounts by classification, use the FWO Pay Calculator.

Nurses Snapshot

The numbers that drive this award.

Set by Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) and the NES.

Sunday rate

175%

Of base hourly rate

Sunday work for full-time/part-time employees under this award.

Public holiday

250%

Of base hourly rate

Public holiday rate for FT/PT employees, paid in cash or substituted for time off.

Leave loading

17.5%

Annual leave loading on top

Or shift penalty earned during leave, whichever is greater (for shift workers).

Annual Leave, Loading & RDO

Award-specific provisions.

Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.

Annual leave5 weeks/year

Shift workers as defined in clause 32.4 receive 5 weeks annual leave instead of 4.

Leave loading17.5%

Standard 17.5% on minimum hourly rate. Shift workers receive the GREATER OF 17.5% or the shift penalty they would have earned during the leave. Run the numbers in the annual leave loading calculator.

Rostered Day Off (RDO)No

No formal RDO accrual cycle in this award. Time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL) may still be available.

Coverage

Who this award covers.

Industries, work types and exclusions taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.

Industries

Work types

Notes & exclusions. Shift workers receive 5 weeks annual leave and the higher of 17.5% or shift-penalty leave loading. Excludes medical practitioners and registrars; allied health (e.g. physiotherapists) sit under their own award.

Classifications

Roles paid under this award.

Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.

01nursing assistant
02enrolled nurse
03registered nurse
04nurse practitioner
05occupational health nurse

Nurses Q & A

Nurses Award questions, answered.

Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000034. Verified against the modern award text.

Who does the Nurses Award cover?

Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) covers health, medical services. Common roles include nursing assistants, enrolled nurses, student enrolled nurses, registered nurses. Shift workers receive 5 weeks annual leave and the higher of 17.5% or shift-penalty leave loading. Excludes medical practitioners and registrars; allied health (e.g. physiotherapists) sit under their own award.

What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Nurses Award?

Full-time and part-time employees are paid 150% of the base hourly rate (1.50x) for working on Saturday. Casuals receive 175% (the FT rate plus the 25% casual loading).

What is the Sunday rate under the Nurses Award?

FT/PT employees are paid 175% of the base hourly rate (1.75x) for Sunday work. Casuals receive 200% (the FT rate plus the 25% casual loading).

What is the public holiday rate under the Nurses Award?

FT/PT employees who work on a gazetted public holiday are paid 250% of the base hourly rate (2.50x). Casuals receive 275% (the FT rate plus the 25% casual loading). Employees who don't work the holiday receive their ordinary day's pay if it would otherwise have been a working day.

How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Nurses Award?

Standard full-time employees get 4 weeks of paid annual leave per year under the NES. Shift workers as defined in clause 32.4 receive 5 weeks annual leave instead of 4. The 5-week entitlement comes from NES s.87(1)(b), which the Nurses Award classifies eligibility for. Calculate annual leave accrual →

How is annual leave loading calculated for shift workers under the Nurses Award?

Shift workers receive the GREATER OF 17.5% leave loading on the minimum hourly rate, OR the shift penalty they would have earned during the period of leave. The award protects shift workers from earning less on leave than they would have working the shifts. Leave loading calculator →

What is the casual loading under the Nurses Award?

25% on top of the base hourly rate, in lieu of paid annual leave, paid personal leave and notice entitlements. Casual loading is added to the FT/PT rate when a casual works any of the penalty-rate hours above (Saturday, Sunday, public holiday, evening, night).

Does the Nurses Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?

No. The Nurses Award does not include a formal RDO accrual cycle. Time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL) may still be available where the employer and employee agree, but it works differently from a formal RDO and is not automatically accrued.

Does the Nurses Award have evening or night-shift loadings?

Yes. Under this award, afternoon-shift work attracts 112.5% of the base hourly rate (1.13x); night-shift work attracts 115% of the base hourly rate (1.15x); permanent night shift attracts 130% of the base hourly rate (1.30x). Casuals receive an additional 25% casual loading on top of these penalty rates.

Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Nurses Award?

Pay rates by classification under MA000034 change quarterly with Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review decisions. The official source is the FWO Pay Calculator, which always reflects the current rates. Open the FWO Pay Calculator →

Other Awards

Other modern awards.

If your role doesn't fit Nurses, one of these is likely your award.

Nurses Methodology

Verified against the modern award text.

Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) on the Fair Work Commission's awards.fairwork.gov.au.

For up-to-date pay rates by classification, refer to the FWO Pay Calculator. Modern awards are reviewed and varied periodically by the Fair Work Commission; check the source for the latest text.

Last verified10 May 2026

ReviewerSarah Reid, CAHRI

Primary sourceMA000034 (Fair Work Commission)

Federal floorFW Act 2009 (Cth)

RefreshQuarterly