If you run a registered and licensed not-for-profit club in Australia, you’re likely covered by the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020 [MA000058].
With minimum award wages increasing by 3.5% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025, and further updates issued annually by the Fair Work Commission, it’s easy to fall behind. Misapplying classifications, pay rates, penalties, or allowances can lead to compliance risks, payroll errors, and potential disputes.
This guide simplifies the Award and explains how it applies in real-world situations, helping you understand coverage, correct pay structures, overtime, penalty rates, allowances, leave, and more.
The Registered and Licensed Clubs Award: A Quick Summary for Busy Managers
Short on time? This section covers the essentials.
The Registered and Licensed Clubs Award covers employees working in Australian clubs that operate on a not-for-profit basis and primarily serve their members and the local community.
This includes clubs like RSLs, bowling clubs, surf clubs, golf clubs, and community or sporting clubs that employ staff to run bars, kitchens, gaming areas, front desks, child care, or maintain grounds and facilities.
To stay compliant, managers must consider:
- Award coverage: Whether the employee is covered by the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award (because they work at a not-for-profit registered or licensed club) or by another, similar award, like the Hospitality Award (their workplace is a commercial hospitality business).
- Employee type: Whether the employee works full-time, part-time, or casual hours.
- Employee classification: Where the employee sits within the Award’s classifications. These range from Level 1 (e.g., a food and beverage attendant grade 1) up to Level 13 (Club manager).
- Hours and timing of work: Whether the employee works early, late, on holidays or weekends vs. standard workdays, or overtime.
Avoid these common trip-ups:
- Overtime and penalty rates under this Award aren’t one-size-fits-all. Rates can change after the first 2 hours of overtime, vary depending on when the work is done, and differ between general club employees and maintenance and horticultural staff.
- Most compliance issues stem from incorrect employee classifications, allowance errors, and failing to apply the correct overtime or penalty rates.
Coming up: Award dates and deadlines you need to know
| Date | What’s happening? |
|---|---|
| March to June 2026 | The Fair Work Commission (FWC) conducts its annual review of the National Minimum Wage and all modern award rates, including the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award. |
| Early June 2026 | The FWC typically announces its decision on the % increase for the new financial year. |
| 1 July 2026 | The new, increased award rates for the registered clubs industry are effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. |
Award Basics
The Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020 sets the minimum pay and conditions for employees working in not-for-profit registered and licensed clubs across Australia. It covers a range of roles typically found in community clubs, including food and beverage attendants, bar staff, guest services, administrative staff, ground maintenance staff, and club managers.
The Award outlines how employees must be paid, including minimum hourly and weekly pay rates, classifications, overtime and penalty rates, allowances, ordinary hours of work, and rostering arrangements.
Who’s covered under the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award?
The Award covers employers and employees working in any registered and licensed not-for-profit Australian club that is on:
- Football grounds
- Cricket grounds
- Golf courses
- Bowling greens
- Other sports grounds
Common roles include:
- Bar attendants
- Front desk staff
- Cooks and kitchen staff
- Guest services staff (including housekeeping)
- Security officers
- Grounds maintenance staff
- Club managers
- Handypersons
- Child care workers
- Administration staff
- Golf trainees and professionals
The Award also covers greenskeepers, ground attendants, gardeners, lawn mowers, and motor roller drivers at bowling greens, golf courses, or golf facilities.
Who isn’t covered under the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award?
The Award doesn’t apply when the primary work is part of a different industry or function than a not-for-profit club. In this case, employers and employees tend to fall into other modern awards, including:
- Amusement Award
- Hospitality Award
- Cleaning Award
- Racing Ground Maintenance Award
- Security Services Award
Coverage self-check: Does the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award apply?
If you’re still unsure whether this Award applies, check the following statements:
- I operate a not-for-profit club (e.g., an RSL, golf club, surf club, bowling club, community club) and employ staff to provide services that benefit the community and club members.
- The employee works in a role such as guest services, kitchen/food prep, bar services, front desk, gaming, ground maintenance, or general club management.
- The employee isn’t covered by a different modern award that applies to their primary duties in an industry other than not-for-profit clubs (e.g., contracted sports professional, cleaning, security, or gardening personnel).
- There’s no enterprise agreement covering the employee (if there is, the EA generally sets pay and conditions, subject to the BOOT and award interaction).
If these statements apply, the employee is likely covered by the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award.
Pro Tip
You can use the Fair Work Award Finder tool to determine coverage based on your organisation type and your employees’ duties.
Determining Registered and Licensed Clubs Award [MA000058] Requirements
Under the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award, employees are generally grouped by their employment type and the stream, classification, level, and grade they fit into.
Employment types
Employment type is generally determined by the number of hours someone works each week and the predictability of their schedule. So, for instance:
- Full-time employees work 38 ordinary hours a week, or an average of 38 ordinary hours over the roster cycle.
- Part-time employees consistently and reliably work at least 8, but not more than 38 ordinary hours per week.
- Casual employees work only as needed, but are subject to limits on their weekly hours. They’re paid 25% loading on top of their base pay, but aren’t eligible for leave or other entitlements.
This Might Interest You
Find out more about the different employee categories in our Australian employment law guide.
Streams, classifications, levels, and grades
Pay rates and entitlements are also influenced by role, duties, skill level, responsibility, experience, and more. Australian industry awards use the following categories to designate employees:
- Streams: Groups based on similar work environments (e.g., guest services, kitchen, etc.)
- Classifications: Defined job categories/roles within a stream (e.g., front office supervisor).
- Levels: The hierarchy within classifications that designates how much skill, responsibility, or autonomy the employee has in their role, determining their pay rate. For instance, golf assistant Level 5.
- Grades: A subset of a level tied to experience, competency, or time in the role that further affects pay (e.g., front office grade 2).
Below are some examples of the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award streams, classifications, levels, and grades.
| Stream | Classification + Level/grade |
|---|---|
| Food and beverage | Food and beverage attendant grades 1–5 |
| Golf professionals | Assistant or Teaching Professional Level 5 Lead Golf Professional Level 12 |
| Kitchen | Kitchen attendant grades 1–3 Cook grades 1–5 |
| Guest services | Guest services grades 1–4 Guest service supervisor Front office grades 1–3 Front office supervisor Child care worker grades 1–3 |
| Administration | Clerical grades 1–3Clerical supervisor |
| Security | Doorperson/security officer grade 1 Timekeeper/security officer grade 2 |
| Leisure activities | Leisure attendant grades 1–3 Fitness instructor |
| Stores and other activities | Storeperson grades 1–3 |
| Ground maintenance | Maintenance and horticultural employee Levels 1–4 Maintenance and horticultural management Levels 1–2 |
| Miscellaneous | Handyperson |
Some employees start at an introductory level if they’re new to the registered clubs industry and don’t yet meet the Level 1 skill requirements.
They can remain at this level for up to 3 months while receiving training and being assessed. After this period, they move to Level 1, unless the employer and employee mutually agree to extend the training period for up to another 3 months.
Employees can only move to higher grades when they regularly perform the duties of those higher grades.
For full details on classifications, including streams, grades, and the specific duties attached to each role, refer to the Award.
Registered and Licensed Clubs Award Pay Rates and Entitlements Overview
Under the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award, pay rates and entitlements set the minimum standards for how employees must be paid, and for how breaks, allowances, and leave entitlements are included.
Minimum base rates
The Award sets minimum pay rates for club employees, which are reviewed annually by the FWC.
As an example of how pay rates are arranged in the Award, let’s look at those of a full-time food and beverage attendant:
| Level | Classification | Minimum hourly rate | Minimum weekly rate (full-time employee) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory | – | $24.28 | $922.70 |
| Level 1 | Food and beverage attendant grade 1 | $24.95 | $948.00 |
| Level 2 | Food and beverage attendant grade 2 | $25.85 | $982.40 |
| Level 3 | Food and beverage and gaming attendant grade 3 | $26.70 | $1,014.70 |
| Level 4 | Food and beverage attendant (tradesperson) grade 4 | $28.12 | $1,068.40 |
| Level 5 | Food and beverage and gaming attendant grade 5 | $29.88 | $1,135.50 |
| This information is based on the Fair Work Pay Guide (updated 1 July 2025). | |||
For a complete breakdown of employee classifications and pay rates, download the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guide.
Here are some examples of how minimum rates would apply for a food and beverage attendant, Level 2, grade 2:
- Full-time: They must be paid at least $25.85/hour or $982.40/week.
- Part-time: They must be paid $25.85/hour. If they work 20 hours/week, this equates to $517/week, with paid leave accrued pro rata.
- Casual: They receive the same base rate of $25.85/hour, plus 25% loading ($25.85 x 1.25 = $32.31/hour). Across a 20-hour week, this equals $646.25/week.
The Award also sets different pay rates for apprentices and junior employees (under 20), worked out as a percentage of the adult rate.
Pro Tip
You can find the correct Registered and Licensed Clubs Award rate for an employee by entering their classification level and employment type in the Fair Work Modern Awards Pay Database. Always check the most recent review to avoid underpaying employees.
Penalty rates
Penalty rates are higher rates that apply when employees work unsociable times outside typical business hours. For the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award, penalty rates vary by employment type and specific roles (maintenance and horticultural employees).
For club employees other than maintenance and horticultural employees, penalty rates are as follows:
| Period | Full-time/part-time (% of minimum hourly rate) | Casual (% of minimum hourly rate, including 25% casual loading) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday | 150% | 150% |
| Sunday | 175% | 175% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 250% |
| This information is based on the Fair Work Pay Guide (updated 1 July 2025). | ||
For maintenance and horticultural employees:
| Period | Full-time/part-time (% of minimum hourly rate) | Casual (% of minimum hourly rate, including 25% casual loading) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday and Saturday before 12 noon | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday after 12 noon | 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200% | 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200% |
| Sunday | 200% | 200% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 250% |
| This information is based on the Fair Work Pay Guide (updated 1 July 2025). | ||
Overtime rules and rates
Some employers might think overtime only applies after 38 hours for all employees; however, this is incorrect. Overtime rates are consistent across employee types, but the triggers for when overtime applies differ.
Overtime applies when:
- Full-time employees work beyond their ordinary hours (e.g., over 38 hours/week).
- Part-time employees work beyond their agreed/rostered hours or beyond 38 hours/week (or an average of 38 hours/week over the roster cycle).
- Casual employees work more than 38 hours/week (or averaged), or more than 12 hours/shift.
In these cases, the following pay rates apply:
| Period | Full-time/part-time/casual |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 150% for the first 2 hours, 200% thereafter |
| Midnight Friday–midnight Saturday | 175% for the first two hours, 200% thereafter |
| Midnight Saturday–midnight Sunday | 200% for all hours worked |
| Public holiday | 250% for all time worked, minimum 4 hours* |
| Rostered day off | 200% for all time worked, minimum 4 hours |
| *Hours of work performed immediately before or after a part-day public holiday that form part of one continuous shift are counted as part of the minimum payment/engagement period. | |
| This information is based on the Fair Work Pay Guide (updated 1 July 2025). | |
To see how overtime rates work in practice, consider a part-time food and beverage attendant Level 3, grade 3 who earns $26.70 per ordinary hour and is rostered to work 20 hours per week.
- If they work 22 hours/week, the additional 2 hours are treated as overtime because they exceed their agreed hours.
- If those 2 overtime hours are worked on a weekday, you’re required to pay 150% of their minimum hourly rate, which is $40.05/hour.
- If those overtime hours are worked on a weekend, they would receive 200%, which is $53.40/hour.
Refer to the Award for additional overtime rules, including time-off-in-lieu.
Did You Know?
Employers and employees can agree in writing to take time off instead of overtime pay. Time off should be taken within 6 months and be equivalent to total overtime (on an hour-for-hour basis). Extra conditions apply, so refer to the Award for full details.
Breaks
Club employees who work a specified number of hours in any one shift are entitled to the following breaks:
| Hours worked in a shift | Required unpaid meal breaks | Required paid breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5 hours | None (an optional 30-minute break can be elected by the employee during a 5-hour shift) | – |
| More than 5 hours | 30 minutes (taken between 1.5 and 5 hours of work start time) | Additional 20-minute break after 5 hours |
| More than 5 hours when employees’ hours fall entirely between 11.00 pm and 8.00 am, or they’re the only employee rostered for duty on a particular day/shift | – | 20-minute break |
Maintenance and horticultural employees are also entitled to the following paid breaks:
| Hours worked | Required paid breaks |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 2x 10-minute breaks (morning/afternoon) OR1x 20-minute break |
| More than 1.5 hours overtime | 20-minute break after ordinary hours, before starting overtime, at ordinary hourly rate |
| More than 4 hours overtime | 20-minute break for every 4 hours of overtime |
Allowances
Allowances compensate for work-related costs. Some examples of these include:
| Allowance type | When it applies | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First aid | The employee holds a recognised first aid qualification and is appointed as a first aid attendant. | $12.82 per week |
| Meal allowance for overtime | When an employee (other than a club manager) is required to work overtime for more than 2 hours without being notified the previous day. | $16.73 OR meal supplied by employer |
| Clothing | If the club requires the employee to wear any special articles of clothing (excl. tuxedo). | Cost reimbursement, or $0 if clothing is supplied |
| Working away | If an employee (other than casual) is required to work at a place 80km+ from their usual place of work. | Cost reimbursement for reasonable travel fares |
Pro Tip
If you provide employees with any uniform items or property, list each item and its value in a receipt. If/when an employee ceases employment and doesn’t return these items, employers are entitled to deduct the value as stated on the receipt from their wages.
Learn more about allowances under the Award.
Leave entitlements
Leave for club workers (other than casuals, unless stated) is provided under the NES. The table below outlines the key entitlements:
| Leave type | What the employee is entitled to |
|---|---|
| Annual leave | 4 weeks of paid annual leave per year, including 17.5% leave loading. Leave may be taken in advance or cashed out by agreement. |
| Personal/carer’s leave | 10 days of paid leave per year for full-time employees (pro rata for part-time). Unused leave accumulates year to year. |
| Compassionate leave | 2 days of paid leave per permissible occasion (unpaid for casuals). |
| Parental leave | Up to 12 months of unpaid leave, with the option to request an additional 12 months. |
| Community service leave | Unpaid leave for voluntary emergency activities. Jury service is paid for a limited period. |
| Family and domestic violence leave | 10 days of paid leave per year (available to all employees, including casuals). |
| Public holidays | Paid day off if the employee would normally work, or penalty rates if required to work. |
How To Determine Registered and Licensed Clubs Award Coverage
To avoid underpaying staff and having to make back payments down the track, it’s important to confirm your employees are covered by the Award and are classified correctly.
Let’s run through an example.
Registered and Licensed Clubs Award [MA000058]: A practical, real-world example
Grace works full-time at an RSL club that offers table service, gaming services, bar service, and catering. She works a rotating roster that includes weekday and weekend shifts, as well as occasional public holidays.
Her day-to-day duties include:
- Assisting in the bottle department (up to 4 hours per day) without supervision.
- Receiving and dispensing money.
- Attending a gaming terminal.
- Receiving, delivering, and recording goods in the liquor store.
- Mixing a range of sophisticated drinks.
- Supervising and training food and beverage attendants of a lower grade.
Because she works in a registered and licensed club, rather than a standalone liquor store or restaurant, Grace’s job falls under the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020 [MA000058].
Her duties correspond with the food and beverage stream. She attends a gaming terminal, manages the bottle department with some autonomy, and trains and supervises other food and beverage attendants, making her duties go beyond Levels 1 and 2.
Instead, Grace is classified as Level 3 (grade 3). Different rates apply depending on when she works, as the Award provides penalty rates for evenings, weekends, and public holidays:
- Base rate: $26.70/hour (applies to ordinary hours worked on weekday shifts, such as her standard daytime or evening rostered shifts).
- Saturday rate (150%): $40.05/hour (applies when Grace works ordinary hours on a Saturday).
- Sunday rate (175%): $46.73/hour (applies when Grace works ordinary hours on a Sunday).
- Public holiday rate (250%): $66.75/hour (applies when Grace works on a public holiday).
Common scenarios and compliance tips
Use these key checks to ensure your employees get paid correctly.
A restaurant in a bowling club hires a kitchen attendant
Key checks:
- Confirm award: The role is likely covered by the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award if the business is a registered and licensed club, operating on a not-for-profit basis and providing services to benefit the community and club members.
- Confirm role classification: The role is classified based on actual duties (e.g., general kitchen cleaning duties and preparing ingredients for cooking, without the appropriate level of training or supervising staff, usually points to grade 1, not grade 2).
- Confirm pay: Check the minimum rate for their grade and level. If the employee works weekends, apply the correct weekend penalty rates.
A surf lifesaving club operates on weekends with a mix of full-time, part-time, and casual staff
Key checks:
- Confirm employment types: Check how many hours each employee works and apply the minimum engagement rules.
- Confirm role classifications, levels, and grades: Look at actual duties performed, not just job title
- Confirm pay: Ensure the correct Saturday and Sunday (or public holiday) penalty rates are applied for full-time, part-time, and casual employees (including the 25% casual loading).
- Check overtime: If employees work beyond their agreed hours, apply overtime.
A club manager for a golf club is on duty
Key checks:
- Confirm allowances: For the club manager’s meal allowance, provide a meal worth $16.73, or add $16.73 to their pay. If the club requires the club manager to wear special clothing, reimburse the cost or supply the clothing, plus reimburse $10/week for laundering, or arrange laundering.
- Calculate correct pay: Apply the usual base rate and any weekend/public holiday or overtime rules separately, if triggered, then add any allowances.
Common employer mistakes to avoid
Even well-intentioned organisations can make errors. The most frequent include:
- Misclassifying employees (e.g., paying a food and beverage attendant at grade 1 instead of grade 2).
- Forgetting step-ups from the introductory level to Level 1 after 3 months, when an employee has undertaken appropriate training and passed an assessment for this level.
- Applying the penalty rates for full-time, part-time, and casual employees to maintenance and horticultural employees.
- Paying casual weekend and public holiday shifts as “base rate + 25% loading + penalties” instead of using the all-in casual weekend and public holiday rates in the pay guide.
- Missing allowances when calculating pay and not keeping accurate records.
Glossary
Allowances
Extra payments or contributions made by employers to employees, in addition to regular wages, to cover specific work-related expenses or special skills/qualifications.
Loading
An extra percentage paid on top of an employee’s 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).
Overtime
Work performed by employees in excess of their ordinary hours or outside the spread of hours/rostered hours.
Penalty rates
Higher rates that apply when employees work during certain hours outside typical business hours, e.g., Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays.
Resources and Links
For further reading and official resources, visit:
- Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020 [MA000058]
- Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS)
- Fair Work Record-Keeping Requirements
- Annual Leave Cash-Out Agreement
- Annual Leave in Advance Agreement
FAQs
What is the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award?
The Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020 sets minimum pay rates, classifications, employment types, and working conditions for employees in Australian not-for-profit registered and licensed clubs. It provides a framework for wages and entitlements, helping employers apply consistent conditions and reduce the risk of underpayment or non-compliance.
What are the minimum hours for the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award?
Under the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award, full-time employees work an average of 38 hours per week, while part-time employees must be contracted for at least 8 hours per week but less than 38. Part-time employees are guaranteed a minimum of 3 hours per day, and casuals are entitled to a minimum of 2 hours per shift.
What is the difference between the hospitality award, the restaurant award, and the registered and licensed clubs award?
While these awards cover businesses serving food and alcohol to customers, they differ in the following ways:
- The Hospitality Award covers general accommodation (hotels, motels, resorts).
- The Restaurant Industry Award covers dining-focused venues like cafes and restaurants.
- The Registered and Licensed Clubs Award applies specifically to registered and licensed clubs, operating on a not-for-profit basis to benefit the community and club members (e.g., RSLs, bowling clubs).
These awards cover different industries, classification structures, overtime/penalty rates, allowances, and more.
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.