{"id":201,"date":"2020-06-28T09:19:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-28T09:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/epo2023.appletest.com.au\/?p=201"},"modified":"2024-10-10T04:04:55","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T04:04:55","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-about-the-2020-minimum-wage-increase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.epayoffice.com.au\/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-2020-minimum-wage-increase\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need to Know About the 2020 Minimum Wage Increase"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
On 1 July 2020 the Australian minimum wage for 2020 to 2021 increased by 1.75% per cent to $19.84 per hour. This means a full-time employee will earn a minimum of $753.80 per week, an increase of $13 per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, unlike previous years, where the national minimum wage increase would take effect for every award at once, this time, the increase will gradually be phased in over 3 stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Depending on the industry you are in, the time in which you receive the minimum wage increase will differ. Below is a quick breakdown of when each award will receive the increase https:\/\/www.fairwork.gov.au\/about-us\/news-and-media-releases\/website-news\/the-commission-has-announced-a-1-75-increase-to-minimum-wages#when-will-my-award-increase<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The decision to stagger the minimum wage increase is largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where industries hit the least-hardest by COVID-19 will benefit first, followed by the remaining sectors such as essential workers later on in the year and early 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Staggering the pay rises will also assist sectors which have suffered the biggest job losses and pay declines during COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Fair Work Commission (FWC) also admitted that the minimum wage increase of 1.75% is considerably lower than the 3% increase of 2019, yet it still falls mostly in line with the current inflation rate<\/a>, which was 1.90% in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, the increase will help balance the need for lower-income earners to support themselves financially, while also making it easier for employers to attract and retain employees, while managing their daily business operations \u2013 thus, being able to keep their doors open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to this, the wage increase is high enough so that the rate of \u2018real wages\u2019 won\u2019t go backwards. What this means is, since the increase is mostly line with the rate of inflation, workers can still afford roughly the same amount of goods and services that they previously could. In a sense, the amount of \u2018buying power\u2019 they have will remain the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Employers who pay any of their employees the minimum wage rate must increase their employee\u2019s pay in the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2020, 1 November 2020 or 1 February 2021 \u2013 depending on which modern award applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, employers should review these agreements and make any necessary changes, so that each employee\u2019s rate of pay is compliant with the national wage increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The minimum wage increase will also apply to any work an employee performs while they\u2019re in the JobKeeper scheme, if they get their pay rate from an award or the National Minimum Wage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1st<\/sup> stage (Group 1 Awards): 1 July 2020<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2nd<\/sup> stage (Group 2 Awards): 1 November 2020<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3rd<\/sup> stage (Group 3 Awards): 1 February 2021<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Maintaining stability during COVID-19<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What employers need to know<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n