If you run a business providing health care services (including medical, dental, and pathology) and you employ staff to deliver those services or support the day-to-day running of the practice, you’re likely covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award [MA000027].
From 1 July 2021, [MA000027] was varied to operate as both an industry and an occupational award, expanding its coverage to include certain health professional roles outside traditional health settings, as well as roles within the health industry. And more recently, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2025, the Annual Wage Review increased minimum award wages by 3.5%.
In this guide, we explain who the Award covers, how to place roles at the right level, and the main pay and conditions employers need to get right.
The Health Services Award: A Quick Summary for Busy Managers
Pressed for time? This section gives you the main takeaways.
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award [MA000027] sets the minimum pay rates and key working conditions for many health industry employers and employees whose roles fit the Award’s classifications (including support services and health professional roles).
To stay compliant, managers should check:
- Award coverage: This Award is often confused with awards like the Nurses Award and the SCHADS Award, depending on the work actually performed.
- Employee type: Full-time, part-time, and casual employees can have different pay outcomes (including casual loading and minimum engagement rules).
- Employee classification: Roles generally fall into Support Services Levels (1–9) or Health Professional Levels (1–4).
- Hours and timing of work: Weekend work, public holidays, and overtime can trigger higher rates. The Award also sets different “day worker” time spans depending on the type of practice.
A common “trip point” is treating late finishes as ordinary time, or paying the wrong weekend/casual rate (weekend rates for casuals already include loading).
Coming up: Award dates and deadlines you need to know
| Date | What’s happening? |
| March to June 2026 | The Fair Work Commission conducts its annual review of the National Minimum Wage and all modern award rates, including the Health Services Award. |
| 1 July 2026 | Payday Superannuation begins. Employers must pay super contributions at the same time as wages, replacing the old quarterly system. |
Award Basics
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award [MA000027] sets the minimum pay rates and key working conditions for many employees in the health industry, including health professionals and support services workers.
The Award covers core minimum conditions like minimum pay rates, penalty rates (including weekends and public holidays), overtime, ordinary hours and rostering rules, and allowances.
The Award works alongside the National Employment Standards (NES), which set the minimum legal entitlements for most employees (including core leave and public holiday rules). The Award then adds health-industry minimum pay rates and extra conditions on top of the NES.
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Looking for a broader overview of Australian workplace rules? Check out Connecteam’s Australian Employment Law Guide.
Who’s covered under the Health Services Award?
This Award applies to employers in the health industry and their employees, including employers who hire health professionals.
Industries covered
The “health industry” includes the delivery of:
- Health care
- Medical services
- Pathology services
- Dental services
Businesses covered
Common settings it can apply to include:
- Medical centres and GP-style clinics (for support roles)
- Allied health clinics (physio, chiro, psychology, OT)
- Dental clinics
- Pathology services and labs
- Imaging services, such as radiology or sonography practices
Employees covered
It commonly covers:
- Support services roles (e.g., medical receptionists, cleaners, gardeners, laundry hands, cooks)
- Health professional roles (e.g., physiotherapists, chiropractors, psychologists or counsellors, occupational therapists in many settings, pharmacists, podiatrists, dieticians)
It can also cover labour-hire businesses and their employees when they’re placed with an organisation in the health industry or when they’re working as health professionals.
Who isn’t covered under the Health Services Award?
This Award doesn’t cover doctors, nurses, and paramedics, who are covered by these awards instead:
If you’re in the social and community services space, it’s worth double-checking whether the role is actually a health professional role that should sit under this Award or the SCHADS Award.
Coverage self-check: Does the Health Services Award apply?
To see whether your business and the role you’re evaluating fit the Health Services Award, check the following statements:
- I operate in the health industry (e.g., providing health care, medical services, pathology services, or dental services).
- The employee’s day-to-day duties fit within a classification in this Award, whether they’re in a health professional or a support services role.
- The employee isn’t a medical practitioner (doctor, GP, or surgeon) who is covered under the Medical Practitioners Award [insert link].
- The role isn’t better covered by a different modern award (if more than one award could apply, the most appropriate award depends on the work and work environment).
- There’s no enterprise agreement/enterprise instrument or modern enterprise award covering the employee.
If most of these apply, the employee is likely covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award [MA000027].
Pro Tip
Fair Work’s Award Finder can help employers check which award is most likely to apply based on the business type and the employee’s main duties.
Determining Health Services Award [MA000027] Requirements
Under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, employees are usually grouped in 2 main ways:
- By employment type (full-time, part-time, or casual), which affects things like rostering, casual loading, and minimum engagement.
- By classification, which is based on what the employee does day to day (not just their job title), plus the skills/qualifications and level of responsibility the role requires.
Employment types
The Health Support Services Award uses 3 main employment types: full-time, part-time, and casual.
Full-time
A full-time employee works 38 ordinary hours per week on average (averaged over a fortnight or up to 4 weeks). Ordinary hours can be worked up to 10 hours a day (meal breaks don’t count).
The default day workers‘ span is 6:00 am to 6:00 pm (Monday to Friday).
Full-time workers are regular staff and usually get the standard permanent entitlements (like paid annual leave).
Part-time
A part-time employee works less than 38 hours per week (or an average of less than 38) and has a regular, predictable pattern of hours. They generally get the same core conditions as full-time employees, but key entitlements are calculated based on the hours they work.
Casual
Casual employees don’t have a fixed pattern of hours and are paid an hourly rate plus a 25% casual loading for ordinary hours worked.
They must be paid for 3 hours of work each time they’re called in. For cleaners in private medical practices, it’s 2 hours.
Pro Tip
This Award sets different “day worker” time windows depending on the type of practice (since some clinics run longer hours). It’s worth checking the day worker span in the Award so ordinary hours are rostered correctly, and to confirm whether someone may count as a shiftworker if they’re regularly rostered outside that span.
Health Professionals and Support Services Award classifications
The Award broadly groups roles into Support Services employees (Levels 1–8) and Health Professional employees (Levels 1–4), with pay points for some levels (discussed later in this guide).
Support Services employees
Support Services covers support and operational roles. Here are Levels 1 and 2 (out of 8) as examples:
| Levels | Health Professionals and Support Services Award level description |
|---|---|
| Support Services Level 1 (entry level) | A new employee in the industry (with less than 3 months’ experience) who performs basic tasks. They follow set routines, have very little responsibility, and work under direct or routine supervision. No previous training or experience is needed. Their roles are generally those of cleaner, general clerk, hospital orderly, unqualified dental assistant, laboratory assistant, and theatre attendant. |
| Support Services Level 2 | An employee who can plan and prioritise work within set routines. They have a bit more responsibility, work with less supervision, and need good communication skills. They usually require some on-the-job training and relevant skills or experience. Could be a driver (less than 3 tonnes), non-trade gardener, general clerk or typist (3 months–1 year’s service), housekeeper, unqualified maintenance or handyperson, storeperson, diet cook, or instrument technician. |
Health Professional employees
The Health Professionals classification covers qualified health professional roles. Here are Levels 1 and 2 (out of 4) as examples:
| Levels | Health Professionals and Support Services Award level description |
|---|---|
| Health Professional Level 1 | An entry-level health professional employee, usually a new graduate (or equivalent). This is the early-career level at which they meet the requirements to practise (where relevant) and hold the qualification that the employer accepts. |
| Health Professional Level 2 | A health professional employee who can work mostly independently and make day-to-day decisions on routine work. They might still need guidance for new, complex, or critical tasks. At this level, they continue building skills, may support workplace training, and may be involved in quality improvements or research. They can also help review policies and assist with student supervision. |
For the full list of classification levels and definitions, check the Award.
Health Services Award Pay Rates and Entitlements Overview
Under the Health and Support Services Award, the minimum pay rates and conditions set the baseline for what you must pay covered employees and the key entitlements they get, including ordinary hours, overtime, weekend and public holiday penalty rates, allowances, and leave.
Minimum base rates
Under the Award, the minimum base rate is the lowest rate you must pay an employee for ordinary hours, based on their classification level and pay point (if applicable).
Pay points are steps within the same level. As an employee gains experience and uses their skills, they may move to the next pay point, which increases their minimum rate. Pay points apply to Support Services employees (Levels 8–9) and Health Professional employees (Levels 1–4).
Some levels have a single flat rate (e.g., Support Services employees at Levels 1-7), so there are no pay-point steps within those levels. Instead, the rate changes when the employee moves up to a higher classification level.
Let’s compare how Level 1 and Level 2 work in each stream:
Support Services employees
| Levels | Minimum weekly rate (full-time) | Minimum hourly rate (full-time and part-time) |
|---|---|---|
| Support Services Level 1 | $978.20 | $25.74 |
| Support Services Level 2 | $1,016.90 | $26.76 |
| *This information comes from the Fair Work Pay Guide, last updated on 25 June 2025. | ||
Health Professional employees
| Levels | Minimum weekly rate (full-time) | Minimum hourly rate (full-time and part-time) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Professional Level 1:Pay point 1 | $1,120.80 | $29.49 |
| Health Professional Level 1: Pay point 2 | $1,164.20 | $30.64 |
| Health Professional Level 2: Pay point 1 | $1,426.20 | $37.53 |
| Health Professional Level 2: Pay point 2 | $1,478.10 | $38.90 |
| *This information comes from the Fair Work Pay Guide, last updated on 25 June 2025. | ||
Note: The number of pay points may vary under each level. For the full list of Health Services Award pay rates, download the Health Professionals and Support Services Award Pay Guide.
Before we dive into penalty rates, here’s a quick, practical example of how the Award minimum rates work. We’ll use Support Services Level 1.
- If they work full-time, you pay at least the minimum weekly rate of $978.20.
- If they work part-time, you pay the minimum hourly rate of $25.74 for the hours worked. For example, if they work 20 hours per week, that’s $514.80 per week (20 × $25.74).
- If they’re a casual Support Services Level 1, you pay the same base hourly rate plus 25% casual loading. 25% loading on $25.74 is $6.44, so the casual rate is $32.18 per hour ($25.74 + $6.44). Over 20 hours, they’d earn $643.60 (20 × $32.18).
Pro Tip
To check the latest pay rates, use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) or the Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database.
Penalty rates
Penalty rates are extra pay rates that apply when an employee works at certain times (like weekends or public holidays), paid as a higher percentage of their ordinary hourly rate.
| When worked | % of ordinary hourly rate (full-time/part-time) |
|---|---|
| Weekend (ordinary hours worked between midnight Friday and midnight Sunday) | 150% |
| Public holiday (all time worked on a public holiday) | 250% |
Casual work on Saturday or Sunday is paid at 175% (the casual loading isn’t added on top of this weekend rate). Public holiday work is paid at 250%, the same as full-time and part-time employees.
Note: If the shift is overtime, overtime rates apply instead of (not on top of) penalties.
Let’s understand how the rates work. Let’s say a Support Services employee—Level 2 earns $26.76 per ordinary hour.
- If they work ordinary hours on a Saturday or Sunday, they’re paid 150%, which is $40.14/hour ($26.76 × 1.5).
- For casuals, weekend rates already include the 25% casual loading, so Saturday/Sunday is 175%, which is $46.83/hour ($26.76 × 1.75).
For other penalty rates (including shiftwork penalties and how they interact with weekends/public holidays), check the Award.
Overtime rules and rates
Overtime under the Health and Support Services Award is the higher rate you pay when an employee works beyond their ordinary hours (e.g., over the daily or weekly ordinary hours limits).
| When overtime is worked | Full-time & part-time employees (% of minimum hourly rate of pay) | Casual employees, inclusive of 25% loading (% of minimum hourly rate of pay) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Saturday | 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200% after 2 hours. | 187.5% for the first 2 hours, then 250% after 2 hours. |
| Sunday | 200% | 250% |
| Public holidays | 250% | 312.5% |
Here’s a simple example to clarify. Say you have a Health Professional Level 1, Pay point 1 employee whose minimum base rate is $29.49 per hour.
If they’re a full-time or part-time employee and work 2 hours of overtime on a Monday, those overtime hours are paid at 150%. That means their overtime rate is $44.24/hour ($29.49 × 1.5). For 2 hours, they’d earn $88.48.
Casual overtime rates include the 25% casual loading, so you don’t add the loading again on top of overtime.
For the full overtime rules (including time off instead of overtime pay and the rest period after overtime between shifts), refer to the Award.
Breaks
Breaks are the short pauses during a shift where an employee can eat or take a quick rest, so they can work safely and sustainably.
| Break type | When it applies | What’s the rule? | Paid or unpaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal break | When an employee works more than 5 hours. | 30–60 minutes. If the employee works no more than 6 hours, they may skip the meal break with the employer’s agreement. | Unpaid |
| Tea break | For every 4 hours worked. | 10 minutes. By agreement, this can be taken as one 20-minute break. | Paid |
Allowances
Allowances are extra payments (or reimbursements) that help cover special work conditions or work-related costs on top of an employee’s base rate.
The Award lists 2 types of allowances: wage-related and expense-related. A few examples of both are listed below:
Wage-related allowances
| Allowance type | When it applies | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| On-call allowance | When an employee is placed on call (per 24-hour period or part of it). | $25.15 (Mon–Sat) or $50.18 (Sun/Public holiday). |
| Occasional interpreting allowance | Applies when an employee interprets as part of their role (and isn’t employed as a full-time interpreter). | $1.28 per occasion (up to $14.79 per week). |
Expense-related allowances
| Allowance type | When it applies | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance (overtime) | If required to work beyond the usual finishing time by more than 1 hour (or for shiftworkers, overtime on a shift exceeds 1 hour), and a meal isn’t provided. | $16.62 (plus $14.98 if overtime exceeds 4 hours). |
| Vehicle allowance | If required to use their own car for work. | $0.99 per km. |
For the complete list of allowances, it’s best to check the Award.
Leave entitlements
Most leave entitlements come from the NES, which applies regardless of the award that covers the employee. The Health Professionals and Support Services Award then adds extra rules for certain leave arrangements.
Annual leave
Let’s look at the key information for annual leave under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award:
- Who gets annual leave: Full-time employees get 4 weeks paid annual leave each year. Part-time employees get the same entitlement based on hours worked. Casual employees don’t get paid annual leave (they’re paid casual loading instead).
- Annual leave loading: Annual leave is paid with 17.5% leave loading (on top of ordinary pay) for non-shift workers.
- Annual leave in advance: Annual leave can be taken before it accrues if there’s a written agreement that sets out the amount of leave and the start date (it must be signed).
- Cashing out annual leave: It can only be cashed out by written agreement each time. The employee must keep at least 4 weeks of accrued annual leave and can cash out up to 2 weeks of accrued leave in any 12-month period.
- Excessive leave accruals: The Award has extra rules for managing large leave balances. “Excessive” annual leave is more than 8 weeks (for non-shift workers).
For full details (including extra rules for shiftworkers, shutdown directions in some practices, and the excessive leave process), refer to the Award.
Other NES leave
Employees covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award also get leave under the NES, including:
- Personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave.
- Parental leave and related entitlements.
- Community service leave (e.g., jury duty or eligible emergency management activities).
- Family and domestic violence leave (the Award also notes confidentiality expectations around handling related information).
How To Determine Health Professionals and Support Services Award Coverage
Getting award coverage right is the foundation of paying people correctly. If you match the role to the wrong award, it can flow into everything else, such as rates, penalties, allowances, and leave.
Health Services Award [MA000027]: A practical, real-world example
To see how the rules work in real life, here’s a simple clinic scenario:
A 30-year-old casual Health Professional employee:
- Works as an entry-level physiotherapist in a private clinic.
- Is rostered on Saturday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (10 hours), then stays back 2 extra hours (to 8:00 pm).
How the Award applies:
- Classification and base rate: Health Professional Level 1, Pay point 2 is $30.64/hour.
- Saturday rate: Casual weekend work (ordinary hours) is paid at 175% (the 25% casual loading is already included).
- Overtime: For casuals, overtime applies after 10 hours in a shift. So the extra 2 hours are overtime and are paid at 187.5% for the first 2 hours (inclusive of casual loading).
- Meal allowance: Because the employee works more than 1 hour past their usual finish time and is working overtime, a $16.62 meal allowance may apply (unless a meal is provided).
Pay summary:
| Hour type | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Saturday ordinary hours | 10 × ($30.64 × 1.75) | $536.20 |
| 2 overtime hours | 2 × ($30.64 × 1.875) | $114.90 |
| Meal allowance | Flat amount | $16.62 |
| Total | $667.72 |
Common scenarios and compliance tips
Below are a few common situations in health practices, with quick checks to help employers stay compliant under this Award.
1. A clinic hires a “practice manager” who mainly does reception and admin
Key checks:
- Coverage under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award likely applies if the business is in the health industry and the role fits a classification.
- Classify the role based on duties actually performed (support services vs. health professional).
- Apply the correct base rate (and pay point where relevant).
2. A pathology practice uses casual staff for short weekend shifts
Key checks:
- Confirm the employment type (casual vs. part-time/full-time) and apply the correct casual loading.
- Check minimum engagement for casuals (usually 3 hours per engagement).
- Apply weekend and public holiday rates correctly (and remember casual weekend rates already include the loading).
3. A clinic regularly asks employees to stay back after their rostered finish time
Key checks:
- Apply overtime rules when work goes beyond ordinary hours and pay the correct overtime rate.
- Check whether a meal allowance applies when working more than 1 hour past the usual finish time.
- Ensure meal and tea breaks are correctly scheduled on longer shifts.
Common employer mistakes to avoid
Here are a few easy-to-miss things to watch out for under the Award:
- Misclassifying employees (using job titles instead of matching duties and skills to the Award classification, including the correct pay point where it applies).
- Missing casual rules, like paying the wrong weekend/public holiday rates or forgetting the casual minimum engagement.
- Treating extra hours as ordinary time (instead of checking if the shift has crossed into overtime).
- Not paying required allowances (e.g., on-call, meal allowance for overtime, or travel/vehicle use when authorised).
- Mixing up penalties and overtime (or using the wrong rate when staff work beyond ordinary hours).
Glossary
Accrued leave
When an employee has built up leave over time and can take it later (e.g., annual leave).
Day worker
An employee who works ordinary day hours (not shiftwork) under the Award’s rules. For example, an employee rostered 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesday is working as a day worker.
Loading
An extra percentage paid on top of the base rate (e.g., 25% casual loading instead of paid leave).
Ordinary hours
The standard hours an employee is rostered to work at their base rate (before overtime applies).
Rostering
Planning and setting an employee’s shifts, including start and finish times and days of work (within the Award’s ordinary hours rules).
Shiftworker
An employee whose ordinary hours are regularly rostered outside the day worker span, so they work shifts (e.g., evening or overnight).
Resources and Links
For official details and templates, see:
- Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027]: The full Award text.
- Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS): A short summary of NES rights and employer obligations.
- Fair Work Record-Keeping Guidance: What to keep for pay records and payslips.
- Annual Leave Cash-Out Agreement: A template for cashing out annual leave.
- Annual Leave In Advance Agreement: A template for taking annual leave before it accrues.
FAQs
What is the minimum shift under this Award?
Casuals must be paid for at least 3 hours per engagement each time they’re called in (but cleaners in private medical practices can be 2 hours).
What is Level 3 in the Health Professionals and Support Services Award?
In the Support Services stream, Level 3 is a support role level above entry-level roles (with more skills and responsibilities). In the Health Professional stream, Level 3 is a senior clinician level (with more complex work and greater professional responsibility). For the exact wording and where a specific job fits, see Schedule A.
What is the HS1 salary?
If by “HS1” you mean Support Services Level 1 under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award (MA000027), the current adult minimum pay rate is $978.20 per week or $25.74 per hour (based on the Fair Work Pay Guide for MA000027, updated 25 June 2025).
Disclaimer
The information provided here is a summary only and does not constitute legal advice. While we have made every effort to ensure the information provided is up to date and reliable, we cannot guarantee its completeness, accuracy, or applicability to your specific situation. Laws change frequently, and outcomes may vary depending on your business circumstances. We recommend consulting a qualified employment lawyer before making decisions related to workforce management. Please note that we cannot be held liable for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented on this website.