Penalty rates slashed
EMPLOYEES are being warned to check their pay slips carefully over the next few months to make sure their Sunday and public holiday penalty rates are not being decreased.
The Fair Work Commission announced last Thursday that 25 to 50 per cent will be cut off penalty rates for workers in the hospitality, fast food, restaurant, retail and pharmacy industries.
But the changes do not come into effect right away.
For Sunday penalty rates, the Fair Work Commission has proposed for the reductions to take place in a series of annual adjustments.
For public holiday rates, the cuts will take effect on July 1, 2017.
There will be slight changes to start and finish times for early and late night work loadings for restaurant and fast food workers and that will come into effect in late March 2017.
It is recommended that workers should pay close attention to their pay slips in the meantime.
In hospitality the penalty rate for full-time and part-time employees will be cut from 175 to 150 per cent.
There’s no change to the Sunday rate for casuals which will stay at 175 per cent.
“It gives more opportunity for businesses to employ more people,” Lulu’s Cafe business owner Gaby Webber said.
In fast food, the Sunday penalty rate will be reduced for level one employees from 150 to 125 per cent for full-time and part-time employees and from 175 to 150 per cent for casuals.
There’s no change to Sunday penalty rates for level two and three employees in that award.
In retail, the Sunday penalty rate for full-time and part-time employees will be taken down from 200 to 150 per cent.
The Sunday rate for casuals will be reduced from 200 to 175 per cent.
In pharmacy the rate for full-time and part-time employees for work between 7am and 9pm on Sundays will be reduced from 200 to 150 per cent.
The Sunday rate for casuals will be reduced from 200 to 175 per cent.
Leongatha business: Kerryl, Camille and owner of Lulu’s Cafe Gaby Webber are one of the few cafes that will not be affected by the penalty rates cut due to not opening on public holidays or Sundays.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Feb 28 2017. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
