Operator Guide · Updated 18 May 2026
A plain-language guide to MA000119 — classification levels 1 through 6, junior rates, casual loading, Saturday and Sunday penalties, public holiday rates, split-shift allowances, and apprentice progression. For Australian cafe and restaurant operators.
Step 1 — Classify Each Role
MA000119 has six classification levels covering both front and back of house. Each role on your roster maps to one of these levels — that determines the base hourly rate before loadings and penalties.
First three months in the industry. Routine duties under direct supervision — clearing tables, dishwashing, basic food preparation, simple drinks. The base rate of the award; most casual juniors start here.
Typical roles
Most floor staff and entry kitchen staff. Service of food and beverages, taking orders, operating POS, espresso machine, basic cooking duties (assembly, reheating, plating).
Typical roles
Specialist skill or supervisory of one or more Level 1/2 staff. Includes qualified bartenders, baristas with certification, and cook grade 2 — applying basic cookery techniques to a la carte service.
Typical roles
Trade-qualified cook (Certificate III in Commercial Cookery) or senior front-of-house with supervisory responsibility. The first 'trade-rate' tier in the kitchen hierarchy.
Typical roles
Trade-qualified chef in charge of a section (sauce, larder, pastry, etc.) with responsibility for the menu items produced within that section. Reports to head/sous chef.
Typical roles
Senior trade-qualified chef — chef de partie, sous chef, or head chef in a smaller establishment. Menu development, kitchen leadership, ordering, and full responsibility for a service period.
Typical roles
Step 2 — Apply Junior Rates
Employees under 21 are paid a percentage of the adult rate at their classification level. The percentage steps up each year. Apprentices use a different (apprentice) scale — see Section 5 below.
| Age | % of adult rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | 45% | Of the adult rate for the relevant classification level. Common for school-leaver casuals on weekends. |
| 16 | 50% | Half the adult rate. Bear in mind super still applies on top — the SG threshold removal means under-18 staff working 30+ hours/week now accrue super. |
| 17 | 60% | 60% of the adult rate. Typical for senior high school casuals. |
| 18 | 70% | 70% of the adult rate. Note: at 18 the employee can also pour and serve alcohol with an RSA. |
| 19 | 80% | 80% of the adult rate. Common entry-year rate for young adults. |
| 20 | 90% | 90% of the adult rate. From 21 the employee receives the full adult rate at their classification level. |
Junior percentages apply to the base hourly rate. Penalties and allowances apply on top of the junior's percentage rate, not the adult rate.
Step 3 — Apply Loadings & Penalties
Loadings are percentage additions to the base hourly rate. They stack — a casual cook working Sunday lunch receives casual loading + Sunday penalty for their level. Public holiday work attracts +150% for all classes.
| Type | Loading | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Casual loading | +25% | Added to the base hourly rate for casual employees in lieu of paid leave, personal leave, and notice entitlements. |
| Saturday penalty (full-time, part-time) | +25% | Full and part-time staff working ordinary Saturday hours receive +25%. |
| Saturday penalty (casual) | +50% total | Casual loading (+25%) plus Saturday penalty (+25%) = +50% on the base rate. |
| Sunday penalty — Level 1 & 2 (full-time/part-time) | +50% | Sundays attract a 50% penalty for full-time and part-time staff at levels 1 and 2. |
| Sunday penalty — Level 3+ (full-time/part-time) | +75% | From Level 3 and above (cook grades, senior F&B), Sunday penalty rises to +75% for full-time and part-time. |
| Sunday penalty (casual) | +75% to +100% total | Casual loading (+25%) plus Sunday penalty (+50% or +75%) depending on classification level — total +75% to +100% on the base. |
| Public holiday | +150% | All employees — double-time-and-a-half for public holiday work, in addition to the entitlement to the holiday at ordinary rates for full-time and part-time staff if rostered. |
| Early-morning shift loading | +10% | For ordinary hours commenced before 7am — common for bakery cafes and breakfast service. |
| Late-night shift loading | +10% | For ordinary hours worked between midnight and 7am — common for late-trading restaurants and bars. |
Penalty rates summarised reflect the structure of MA000119 at the time of review. Always confirm specific clauses against the current instrument on fwc.gov.au.
Step 4 — Add Allowances
Allowances are flat dollar amounts (per day, per shift, per week) rather than percentages. Split-shift is the most common in hospitality — a lunch + dinner roster with a 2-hour break triggers the allowance.
Per-day amount when the day's work is split into two periods with an unpaid break of one hour or more (typical lunch + dinner roster). Paid on top of base rate.
Where a shift is broken into more than two periods, an additional broken-shift allowance applies. Not common but applies in high-coverage venues.
Where the employer doesn't provide a meal but the employee works through a meal break or overtime exceeding 1.5 hours after ordinary finishing time.
Where the employer requires a uniform but doesn't launder it, a per-week laundry allowance applies. If the employer supplies AND launders, no allowance is due.
Where an employee is nominated as first-aider and holds a current Provide First Aid (HLTAID011) certificate.
For work in coolrooms below 0°C (cold work) or kitchens where ambient temperature exceeds 46°C (hot work). Specific per-hour amounts.
Step 5 — Apprentice & Trainee Rates
Apprentices undertaking Certificate III in Commercial Cookery are paid a progression scale against the Level 4 (trade-rate) hourly rate. Adult apprentices (21+) receive an enhanced minimum to prevent age-discrimination effects.
Year 1 of the standard 4-year apprenticeship. The 55% rate is conditional on the apprentice being engaged in training (TAFE, RTO).
Second year. Progression contingent on satisfactory competency and on-the-job performance.
Third year. Substantial skill development — usually able to run a section under supervision.
Final year. Nearly trade-qualified — often promoted to demi or chef de partie on completion.
Apprentices undertaking the qualification while completing senior secondary education are paid pro-rata for actual hours worked, plus training time.
Adult apprentices (commencing the apprenticeship at age 21 or older) receive a minimum rate equivalent to 80% of the Level 4 rate in year one — protects mature-age career changers from junior rates.
Paying a Cert III chef at Level 3 because “they're still learning” is the single most common Fair Work finding in hospitality audits. Once an employee holds the qualification or performs the duties, they're classified at the matching level — regardless of business size or ability to pay.
Sunday at Levels 3+ attracts +75% for full-time/part-time and +100% for casual. Rostering your highest-paid chefs across weekday dinners and using junior or Level 1/2 staff for Sunday brunch is a legitimate way to manage labour cost without underpaying.
Putting a head chef on a $75,000 salary doesn't exempt you from MA000119. The annualised-wage clause requires a roll-up calculation each year showing actual hours worked (including weekends and public holidays) wouldn't have paid more under strict award compliance.
The Superannuation Guarantee applies on top of award wages (currently 11.5%, rising to 12% from 1 July 2025). The $450 monthly minimum was removed in 2022 — super now applies to under-18 employees once they work 30+ hours/week, regardless of total earnings.
Yes — MA000119 covers most cafes, restaurants, hotels (food service component), and reception/function centres. Standalone bakeries fall under the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award; standalone pubs without significant food service fall under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009). Where there's overlap (a cafe inside a hotel), check whose business is the 'substantial character' — that determines the applicable award.
MA000119 (Restaurant Industry Award) covers restaurants, cafes, reception centres, and night clubs. MA000009 (Hospitality Industry General Award) covers hotels, pubs, motels, taverns, and clubs. A pub that primarily sells alcohol and gaming uses MA000009; a restaurant inside that pub uses MA000119. Many venues operate under both — they classify each role under the appropriate award.
The Fair Work Commission updates minimum award rates each 1 July. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay & Conditions Tool (pay.fairwork.gov.au) to look up specific dollar amounts — type 'Restaurant Industry Award' and your classification level. Avoid printed wall posters and third-party guides — they go stale every 12 months.
Only via a properly structured annualised salary clause in MA000119 or an Individual Flexibility Arrangement (IFA). The annualised salary must be high enough that, on a roll-up calculation against actual hours worked (including penalties, loadings, allowances), the employee is better off than strict award compliance. Most operators get tripped up by under-budgeting Sunday and public-holiday work — the Fair Work audit then finds underpayment.
No — apprentice rates supersede junior rates. An apprentice cook is paid the apprentice percentage of the Level 4 rate regardless of age. Adult apprentices (21+) receive the protected minimum (currently 80% of Level 4 in year 1) which is higher than the straight apprentice scale.
Time-and-wages records for 7 years (s 535 Fair Work Act). For hospitality this means: daily hours per employee, start/finish times, breaks, classification level, base rate, penalties applied, allowances paid, super contributions, and payslips. Fair Work audits of hospitality businesses are common — the audit defence is contemporaneous time records, not 'we paid the right amount overall'.
OneBookPlus handles split-shift rostering, casual loading, Saturday and Sunday penalty calculation, and pay-rate exports for Australian hospitality operators.
Last reviewed and updated: by Bishal Shrestha
About the author
Founder & CEO, OneBookPlus
Bishal has over a decade of experience in digital marketing, web development, and small business consulting across Australia. He has helped Australian restaurant and cafe operators decode MA000119 — classifying staff, applying weekend penalties, and reconciling junior, casual, and apprentice rates without breaching wage-theft rules.
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