Award compliance
Why this page exists
Most international hiring tools assume a US-style "post a wage, see who applies" model. Australia doesn't work that way. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and 121 Modern Awards set legally binding minimums for the majority of jobs. Pay below those minimums and you're committing wage theft, regardless of whether the candidate agreed.
Zhai is built around that reality. We don't treat award compliance as a footer link — we treat it as a precondition for posting a brief.
What we check before a brief goes live
- Award identification. Based on industry, role, and location, we suggest the relevant Modern Award (or note that the role is award-free).
- Classification level. We propose the closest classification level inside that award based on the role description.
- Minimum rate. We surface the current minimum hourly rate, casual loading (currently 25%), and applicable penalty rates (weekend, public holiday, late night, early start).
- Allowances. Common allowances for the role — uniform, tool, vehicle, meal, on-call — flagged for your review.
- Superannuation. Superannuation guarantee at the current rate, on top of the cash component.
If your proposed pay is below the relevant minimum, we'll block the brief until it's corrected. If you believe Zhai's mapping is wrong, you can override it with a written reason — we'll log it and review.
What we surface to candidates
For every role, candidates see:
- The award and classification you've selected (or "Award-free" / "Enterprise Agreement").
- A pay range that meets or exceeds the minimum.
- Whether the role is full-time, part-time, casual, fixed-term, or contractor (with the legal implications of each).
- Whether super is on top or included.
Industries we currently cover
During the preview we focus on the awards we know best. Coverage expands monthly.
| Industry | Primary awards covered |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | Hospitality Industry (General) Award · Restaurant Industry Award · Registered & Licensed Clubs Award |
| Retail | General Retail Industry Award · Fast Food Industry Award |
| Trades & construction | Building & Construction General On-site Award · Plumbing & Fire Sprinklers Award · Electrical, Electronic & Communications Contracting Award |
| Allied health & care | Health Professionals & Support Services Award · Aged Care Award · Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services Industry Award |
| Early childhood & education support | Children's Services Award · Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award |
| Office & admin | Clerks — Private Sector Award |
| Professional / award-free | Tech, design, finance, senior management — typically award-free, common-law contract |
Special considerations
Casual loading and the casual conversion right
Casual employees receive a 25% loading in lieu of paid leave. After 12 months of regular, systematic work, eligible casuals have a right to request conversion to permanent employment. Zhai surfaces this on every casual brief that runs past six months.
Penalty rates
Weekend, public holiday, evening, and early-morning shifts often attract penalty rates. Zhai's pay-range calculator includes a "typical roster" preview so candidates and employers see expected weekly take-home, not just the headline base rate.
Sham contracting
You can't hire someone as an "ABN contractor" if the work is really employment. Zhai's brief flow asks structured questions to detect when a contractor brief is really a disguised employment relationship, and warns you before posting.
Right to work
Employers must verify candidates have the right to work in Australia. Zhai collects work rights as part of the candidate profile and surfaces visa conditions to employers, but the legal verification (VEVO check, document sighting) is the employer's responsibility.
Equal pay and pay transparency
The Fair Work Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2024 bans pay-secrecy clauses and requires advertised salary ranges to be honest. Zhai requires a real range on every public brief — no "competitive" or "DOE" placeholders.
If we get something wrong
Award law is complex and changes. If Zhai mis-classifies a role or surfaces an out-of-date rate, tell us at awards@meetzhai.com and we'll fix it. Final responsibility for correct payment sits with the employer, but we want to be the most accurate first-pass guide on the market — and we take that seriously.
Useful links
- Fair Work Ombudsman — pay calculator, award lookup, dispute help.
- Fair Work Commission — modern awards register.
- VEVO — visa entitlement verification.