Modern Awards

The Government’s IR reform package includes a commitment to overhaul the existing award system to create “modern, simple industry awards”.

What’s Involved?

The process of creating so called “modern awards” involves an overhaul of the existing framework of industry and occupational based awards. It is a process that is being carried out by the Industrial Relations Commission in line with directions it has received from the Federal Government.

The key objective is to simplify the existing awards system.

The new modern awards have included dispute resolution clauses and flexibility provisions. These are intended to provide an employer and employee with some discretion and scope in terms of how award conditions might be applied in their workplace.

When?

From the beginning of this year the modern awards and the 10 National Employment Standards will be the new safety net of minimum conditions for award covered employees.

More Information

In the Government’s words the new modern awards are not meant “to disadvantage employees or impose additional costs upon employers.” An option has been created for any changes to be phased in over a period of up to 5 years. So called “take home pay orders” can also be made to protect the entitlements of employees. 

The Commission has also created a “Miscellaneous” award the Miscellaneous Award 2010, to apply to employees not otherwise covered by a modern award. However, this is only intended to apply to employees doing work traditionally covered by awards. It is not intended to spread award coverage to employees who have traditionally been “award free.”

For access to copies of the AIRC Modern Awards, please click here.

For assistance in determining your award coverage, VECCI has produced a Modern Awards Translator tool to help simplify the process for searching for an applicable award. Please click here to access the Modern Awards Translator page.