The Fair Work Commission has increased the National Minimum Wage to $882.80 per week ($23.23 per hour) from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2023.

Also from 1 July, the superannuation guarantee rate increased from 10.5 per cent to 11 per cent of wages.

In its ‘Trail Talk’ Spring 2023 newsletter, the Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS) says this means if your weekly pay period starts on a Monday, the new rates are applied from Monday 3 July 2023.

The National Minimum Wage applies to employees who are not covered by an award or registered agreement.

Most employees are covered by an award. The Horticulture Industry Award covers most workers in orchards and also deals with piece-rates which may require top-up payments to comply with minimum wages since the new award was introduced in 2022.

This requires good record keeping from those employing seasonal workers.

Awards are legal documents that outline minimum pay rates and conditions of employment in your industry or occupation. If you’re not sure which award applies to you or your workers, go to the Fair Work website and use the: Find my award online tool.

At the same time, the Commission increased minimum award wages by 5.75 per cent.

The HTIS says the changes have created confusion as some ‘minimum award’ wages are now lower than the ‘National Minimum Wage’. Although this sounds incorrect, it is just terminology being outdated by a change in the way wage rises have been structured this year.

A raft of other changes to workplace reform have recently taken place, from advertising jobs and pay rates, harassment in the workplace and general information applicable to employees and employers.

For more information, visit the Fair Work website and search for: Secure Jobs, Better Pay: changes to Australian workplace laws.

For information on superannuation, visit the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website and look under ‘Super guarantee percentage’.