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Pay your team right. Every single time.
Take the guesswork out of award calculations. PaySauce automatically calculates employee pay using the relevant award rates, penalty rates and allowances, making it easier to pay your team correctly every payday.
Awards supported by PaySauce
Hospitality Industry Award
For hotels, pubs, accommodation businesses and other hospitality employers.
Restaurant Industry Award
For restaurants, dine-in cafés and their kitchen and service teams.
Fast Food Industry Award
For takeaway shops, fast food outlets and quick-service food businesses.
General Retail Industry Award
For retail stores and businesses employing shop assistants and other retail staff.
Pastoral Award
For farms, livestock operations and eligible agricultural workers.
Clerks Private Sector Award
For administrative, reception, payroll and office staff across many industries.
Payday isn't just about paying people. It's about paying them right.
Why compliance matters.
Modern awards are legally binding rules that govern employee pay and conditions. They apply to specific industries and cover base rates, overtime, allowances and penalties. Getting them wrong can mean underpayment, fines and unhappy staff.
For small business owners, keeping up with award rates feels like a full-time job. Different industries, different rules. Fair Work changes, penalty rates, allowances and overtime. It adds up fast.
- Award wages and base pay rates set by industry
- Overtime and penalty rates for weekends and public holidays
- Allowances for travel, uniforms, meals and more
- Leave entitlements including annual leave and sick leave
Built for Australian small businesses.
Award compliance. Handled automatically.
PaySauce automatically applies the correct award rules for your industry. No manual lookups. No spreadsheets. No late nights checking Fair Work rates. Just accurate, compliant payroll every pay run.
- Hospitality, retail and dairy award rates built in for most standard business setups
- Fair Work changes applied automatically in real time
- PAYG, super and audit-ready records all in one place
- Your team gets paid correctly, on time, every time
Automated award calculations
Penalties, allowances and overtime calculated automatically for most hospitality, retail and dairy businesses. No manual lookups. No errors.
Real-time compliance updates
When Fair Work changes award rates, PaySauce updates automatically. You're always compliant without lifting a finger.
Audit-ready records
Payroll, super, PAYG and award compliance all in one place. Always clean, always current, ready when you need them.
The old way vs the PaySauce way.
The Old Way
The Paysauce Way
Manually looking up award rates every pay run
Award rates calculated automatically every pay run
Hoping penalty calculations are right
Penalties, allowances and overtime handled for you
Scrambling when Fair Work updates rates
Fair Work updates applied in real time
Hours lost to compliance admin
Payroll done in minutes, not hours
Stress about underpayment and fines
Confidence your team is paid correctly every time
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Awards and compliance. Your questions answered.
Everything small business owners need to know about award rates and staying compliant.
What is a modern award?
A modern award is a legally binding document that sets out the minimum pay rates, overtime, penalties and allowances for employees in a specific industry. They are set by the Fair Work Commission and apply to most Australian employees.
What is the fair work minimum wage?
The Fair Work Commission sets the National Minimum Wage each year. This applies to employees who are not covered by an award. If your employee is covered by an award, the award minimum wage applies instead and may be higher or lower than the National Minimum Wage. PaySauce keeps award rates up to date automatically so you always pay the right amount.
What award rates apply to my business?
It depends on your industry. Common awards for small businesses include the Hospitality Industry General Award, the General Retail Industry Award and the Pastoral Award for dairy and farming businesses. PaySauce has these built in and applies the correct rates automatically for most standard business setups.
What are penalty rates?
Penalty rates are higher pay rates that apply when employees work outside standard hours, such as weekends, public holidays or late nights. They vary by industry and award. PaySauce calculates penalty rates automatically on every pay run.
What happens if I get award rates wrong?
Underpaying employees is a serious issue under the Fair Work Act. It can result in back pay obligations and Fair Work penalties. PaySauce reduces this risk by applying the correct award rates automatically every pay run.
How does PaySauce stay up to date with Fair Work changes?
PaySauce monitors Fair Work updates and applies changes to award rates automatically. You don't need to check anything manually. When rates change, your payroll updates too.
Does PaySauce handle the fair work information statement?
PaySauce handles the payroll side of onboarding, award rates, super and STP reporting. You'll still need to provide employees with the Fair Work Information Statement and any other required documents when they start. If you're not sure what's needed, Fair Work Australia has a straightforward checklist at fairwork.gov.au.
What if my employee isn't covered by an award?
Some employees are award-free, meaning no industry award applies to them. In this case you still need to pay at least the national minimum wage and have a clear employment contract covering hours, overtime and conditions. PaySauce can help you manage award-free employees alongside your award-covered staff in the same pay run.