Changes To The Cleaning Services Award

The Fair Work Commission has recently clarified the way some Award provisions apply, and made minor amendments to the Cleaning Services Award itself.

What Are The Changes?

• The year in the Award name has changed from 2010 to 2020, it is now called the Cleaning Services Award 2020.

• The Pay Rate Schedule has been updated to reflect the new 2020 version of the Award. Some rates of pay may have changed by one or two cents.

• Clarification that the first aid and leading hand allowances can no longer be paid per hour, these must be paid in full, each week regardless of your employee’s employment status.

• A new clause which allows for an agreement to be made with an individual employee to vary certain terms within the Award.

• Reinforcement that employees who earn above the Award minimum rate must be paid this higher rate when taking annual leave.

• Confirmation that all purposes allowances (including part-time allowance) must be included when paying an employee during annual leave.

• The definition of “change of contract” has been altered and now refers to a decision made by an employer to relinquish a cleaning contract or to a change of contract.

• Confirmation that an adult employee is an employee who is over the age of 21 and a junior employee is under the age of 21.

• A variation to the rostering provisions confirms that this clause only applies to full-time and part-time employees.

 What Do I Need To Do?

• If you have an employee who receives the first aid or leading hand allowance, this must now be paid weekly, in the full amount, regardless of the employment status of the employee (eg part-time).

• Check your rates of pay to ensure you are meeting your minimum pay obligations

• If you pay above the Award, you should continue to pay employees their ordinary rate (including all purpose allowances) when they take paid annual leave.

How Can Peninsula Help Me?

Not a client? If you need help understanding and implementing these changes, please contact Peninsula on 1300 651 415 and we can give you free, initial advice on this topic. If you’d like more help implementing these changes in your business and are interested in ongoing support, Peninsula can help you.

Peninsula clients affected by the changes to the Cleaning Services Award have been notified of these changes by email. Get in contact with Peninsula if you have any trouble understanding or implementing these changes.

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