If you are looking for a job you should know that all people working in Australia have basic rights and protections in the workplace. For example an employer needs to pay a minimum rate of pay: your employer can pay you more than the minimum if they want to, but they cannot pay you less. Are you allowed to work in Australia? Please read this article to find out more.

How much is the Federal Minimum Wage?

• full-time and part-time
• casual (who also get a 20 per cent casual loading)
• piece rate workers.

• covered by a pay scale
• junior employee, a juniour gets a percentage of the minimum wage, depending on the industry. Please check out this government website (workplace authority) for more info on pay scales.
• employees with a disability
• working under a registered training scheme.

• The number of hours you will work each week
• When you will be paid: you should be paid at least once a month
• if you are entitled to more money (penalty rates) for working nights, weekends or public holidays, or overtimep pay for working outside your regular hours
• If you should be paid an allowance for doing certain tasks
• Te minimum number of hours per shift you can be rostered and paid for
• When you should be taking breaks during your shift
• How much notice you need to give your employer if you want to resign from your job
• If you are entitled to casual loading: Casual employees often get a casual loading with their basic rate of pay. This compensates them for entitlements they may not get, such as paid personal leave. A casual employee is guaranteed either the casual loading in their pay scale or 20 per cent of their basic rate of pay. This depends on their circumstances. A casual employee is not guaranteed a casual loading if they're a pieceworker, or if their pay scale doesn't include a casual loading and they don't have a workplace agreement. 

It is not okay at work to:

• Unpaid work trials are generally against the law – you should not be asked to work for free. You should be paid for all hours you work, including meetings or training and the time you spend opening and closing the business.
• Not being given a pay slip – you should receive a pay slip within one day of being paid
• Having money taken out of your pay to cover customers who have left without paying or if the registers are short
• Being sent home from work early – you should start and finish your shift at the rostered time no matter how busy or quiet it is, unless you and your employer agree otherwise
• Receiving goods or services instead of pay
• Being pressured, forced or threatened to sign a workplace agreement
• Being sacked because you were sick or injured
• Being sacked because of your race, colour, sex, sexual preference, marital status pregnancy or religion.

Learn more about workplace rights & rules as a young worker at the Australian ombudsman website or download this brochure from the Australian Ombudsman with info about your rights as an international student.