Operator Guide · Updated 18 May 2026
A plain-language guide to MA000020 — classification levels CW/1 to CW/10, the industry allowance, tool allowance, fares & travel, the RDO system, and weekend penalties. Designed for builders, carpenters, and trade subcontractors rostering crew on residential and commercial sites.
Step 1 — Classify Your Crew
Every on-site employee is classified at a Construction Worker (CW) level. CW/1 is the labourer base rate; CW/3 is the tradesperson base rate; CW/4–CW/10 are progressive post-trade levels. Mis-classifying a CW/3 carpenter at CW/2 labourer rate is the most common underpayment finding in Fair Work audits.
Routine site duties under direct supervision. Includes new starters, general labourers, traffic controllers. Three sub-grades (CW/1(a), (b), (c)) covering increasing experience.
Typical duties
Routine work with some discretion. Equipment operators below excavator class, plant operators, dogman assisting crane work.
Typical duties
Tradesperson rate — the headline base rate for carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers, painters (on construction site). Recognised trade certificate required.
Typical duties
Tradesperson with post-trade qualification or supervisory responsibility. Above-base rates for crew leaders and ticketed-up tradespersons.
Typical duties
Six progressive levels above standard tradesperson covering advanced post-trade certification, complex commercial-construction work, and supervisory responsibility over larger crews.
Typical duties
Step 2 — Add Allowances
MA000020 has more allowances than most awards. Many are paid every shift regardless of conditions (industry, fares, tool), while others kick in only on specific work (height, confined space, multi-storey). Bundling them into the hourly rate is a common underpayment finding — list them as separate lines on the payslip.
Paid weekly to every employee covered by MA000020 — recognises the special disabilities of working in the building and construction industry. Forms part of the base wage for overtime calculation.
Paid to tradespersons (CW/3+) who supply their own tools of trade. Varies by occupation — carpenters, bricklayers, painters each have a specific weekly amount.
Paid for each day worked to cover ordinary travel to and from the site. Distinct from paid travel between sites mid-shift.
Most commercial sites add a site allowance via enterprise agreement (EBA) — varies by project value. Not award-mandated but standard practice on union sites.
Hourly amount that increases as the building gets taller — kicks in once work moves above the 4th floor, with separate tiers for higher floors.
When work requires the employee to live away from home overnight — covers accommodation and meals. Distinct from fares & travel.
Discrete hourly amounts for confined-space work, working with dangerous materials, asbestos work, working at heights (above 7.5m), and several other specified disabilities.
Paid when an employee is required to work overtime of 1.5 hours or more without being given notice the previous day to bring a meal.
Step 3 — Apply Loadings
MA000020 splits weekend rates into a first-2-hours block and an after-2-hours block. Overtime tiers are independent of weekend rates — a Saturday morning shift extending past 2 hours moves to double-time even though weekday overtime would still be at time-and-a-half.
| Type | Loading | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Casual loading | +25% | Added to base hourly rate for casual employees in lieu of annual leave and personal leave entitlements. |
| Saturday — first 2 hours | +50% | Time-and-a-half for the first 2 hours of work on a Saturday. |
| Saturday — after 2 hours | +100% | Double time after the initial 2-hour Saturday block. |
| Sunday | +100% | Double time for all Sunday work — applies to full-time, part-time, and casual. |
| Public holiday | +150% | Double time and a half for public holidays, plus entitlement to the public holiday at ordinary rates if rostered. |
| Overtime — first 2 hours | +50% | Weekday overtime beyond ordinary hours — first 2 hours at time-and-a-half. |
| Overtime — after 2 hours | +100% | Weekday overtime beyond the initial 2-hour block — double time. Distinct from Saturday/Sunday rates. |
The building award's default ordinary-hours pattern is unique — it works out to 38 hours per week but is rostered to give the employee one paid day off every 4 weeks (or one half-day off each week). This is the “19-day month” or “RDO system”.
Crew work 8 hours/day Monday–Friday for 4 weeks. After 20 days of work, they've accrued 152 paid hours but the award only counts 38 × 4 = 152 ordinary hours — actually they've worked 160. The 8-hour difference becomes 1 paid RDO. Most commercial sites take this RDO on a fixed Monday or Friday.
You can't cash out RDO accruals during the cycle (only on termination). You can't roster the RDO on a public holiday to absorb it. You can't make working an RDO a default expectation — if the crew works on a scheduled RDO, that's overtime at time-and-a-half (or double-time after 2 hours).
Rain or extreme heat that stops work on site triggers specific inclement-weather clauses. Employees are paid for the time they show up before being sent home (minimum daily payment), and there's a stand-down clause for prolonged weather events. Document who was sent home, when, and why — it's the only defence in a wage-claim dispute.
The Superannuation Guarantee (currently 11.5% rising to 12%) is paid on ordinary-time earnings, which includes the industry allowance. Tool allowance and fares & travel allowance are typically excluded from super calculation — but check Cbus or Construction-industry fund advice for any EBA-specific inclusion.
The Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2020 (MA000020) covers on-site construction work nationwide. A separate Joinery and Building Trades Award (MA000029) covers off-site joinery and shop-fitting. Electrical, plumbing, and metal-trades work has its own awards (MA000025, MA000036).
Three things — the industry allowance is paid as standard to every employee (not optional), the fares & travel allowance is paid every day (not just inter-site), and the RDO system is the default working pattern (38-hour week worked across 4.75 days or with a 19-day month).
Rostered Day Off — the standard 38-hour ordinary week is worked as either 4 × 9.5-hour days or 5 × 8-hour days with one paid RDO accrued every 4-week cycle. Most sites operate the 19-day month: 19 work days plus 1 RDO across each 4-week period. RDO accrual is paid out on termination if untaken.
Yes — the tool allowance is assessable income through PAYG payroll. However, the employee can claim a deduction for actual tool purchases against this allowance at tax time. The ATO has specific guidance on tool deductions for tradies.
Site allowance is not part of the modern award itself — it's an enterprise-agreement (EBA) construct. Non-EBA sites are not obliged to pay it. However, head contractors on EBA projects pass site-allowance obligations down to subcontractors via the head contract, so check whether your subbie work falls under that.
Apprentices have separate percentage rates of the CW/3 tradesperson base — typically 50% Year 1, 60% Year 2, 75% Year 3, 90% Year 4 (3-year apprenticeships scale differently). They get full industry allowance from day one. Apprentices must be enrolled with a Registered Training Organisation.
OneBookPlus mobile clock timestamps every shift, tracks RDO accrual, and itemises allowances on payslip exports — built for Australian construction 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. Bishal has walked Australian builders and tradie operators through CW/1–CW/10 classification, site/tool allowances and the RDO system under MA000020.
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