Jess JohnsonThe Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010 (MA000005) is the Modern Award that sets minimum pay rates and working conditions for workers in salons, spas, barber shops, nail studios, and related beauty businesses across Australia. If you cut, colour, style, wax, massage, apply nails, or perform beauty treatments as an employee — or employ someone who does — this award almost certainly applies to you.
Administered by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), the award operates as a federal industrial instrument under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and applies in all states and territories.
Who Is Covered by the Hair and Beauty Industry Award?
The award applies to employers whose principal business activity is hairdressing, barbering, or beauty therapy, and to their employees. This broadly covers:
- Hairdressers and barbers — cutting, colouring, styling, perming, chemical treatments
- Beauty therapists — facials, waxing, body treatments, massage, tanning
- Nail technicians — manicures, pedicures, gel and acrylic nails
- Cosmetic tattoo artists and lash technicians — microblading, lash extensions
- Electrologists — permanent hair removal
- Salon assistants and receptionists employed in hair or beauty businesses
Apprentices under training contracts in hairdressing are also covered by this award at nationally recognised apprentice pay rates.
The award does not cover employees who are otherwise covered by a higher-paying enterprise agreement, or employees in sectors with their own award (for example, massage therapists employed in a healthcare facility may fall under a different award).
Pay Rates and Classification Levels
The award divides employees into grades based on qualifications, experience, and the type of work performed. Employers must pay at least the minimum rate for the applicable grade; paying less than the award rate is a breach of the Fair Work Act 2009.
Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy Employee Grades (2025-26):
| Grade | Description | Approx. Hourly Rate (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Introductory — no formal qualifications, first 3 months | $24.10 |
| Grade 2 | Qualified employee Year 1 (Certificate III or equivalent) | $26.25 |
| Grade 3 | Qualified employee Year 2 | $27.70 |
| Grade 4 | Qualified employee Year 3 | $29.25 |
| Grade 5 | Qualified employee Year 4+ / Senior / Supervisor | $31.85 |
| Grade 6 | Educator / Specialist / Salon Manager | $34.30 |
Rates are approximate and effective from 1 July 2025 following the Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review. Verify current rates at fairwork.gov.au or contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94.
The Annual Wage Review (AWR) applies every July — the FWC reviews and increases all modern award minimum rates. The 2025-26 rates apply from 1 July 2025.
Apprentice hairdressers are paid a percentage of the Grade 3 rate, increasing each year:
- Year 1: 40% of Grade 3
- Year 2: 50% of Grade 3
- Year 3: 65% of Grade 3
- Year 4: 80% of Grade 3
Working Hours, Overtime, and Penalty Rates
Ordinary hours under the award are a maximum of 38 per week for full-time employees, with a maximum spread of hours between 8 am and 9 pm Monday to Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm Sunday.
Overtime is paid at 150% for the first two overtime hours per day and 200% thereafter. An employee called back to work outside ordinary hours is entitled to a minimum payment of two hours at overtime rates.
Penalty rates apply when you work outside ordinary hours or on weekends and public holidays:
| When you work | Penalty rate |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 125% of ordinary rate |
| Sunday | 175% of ordinary rate |
| Public holiday | 250% of ordinary rate |
| Evening work (after 6 pm weekday) | 115% of ordinary rate |
Casual loading: Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of their ordinary hourly rate in lieu of paid leave entitlements (NES s.67B, effective 26 August 2022). This applies to all hours worked by casuals, including penalties.
Annual Leave
Under the National Employment Standards (NES) in the Fair Work Act 2009 s.87, full-time employees are entitled to 4 weeks (20 days) of paid annual leave per year. Part-time employees accrue leave on a pro-rata basis.
Annual leave loading of 17.5% applies under the Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010. This means when you take annual leave, you receive your ordinary rate plus 17.5% loading. The loading is intended to compensate for the loss of overtime and penalty rates during your absence.
Accrual:
- Full-time (38 hrs/week): 2.923 hours of annual leave accrues per week (152 hours per year)
- Leave accrues continuously from the first day of employment and can be taken as it accrues by agreement
Shiftworkers engaged as such for 5 or more hours per shift who regularly work Sundays and public holidays are entitled to 5 weeks annual leave per year.
Annual leave can be cashed out (up to 2 weeks per year) if the employee has more than 4 weeks accrued and both parties agree in writing.
Notice Period
The minimum notice of termination under the Fair Work Act 2009 s.117 is:
| Years of continuous service | Notice period |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 1 week |
| 1 year to less than 3 years | 2 weeks |
| 3 years to less than 5 years | 3 weeks |
| 5 years or more | 4 weeks |
| Over 45 years old with 2+ years of service | +1 week supplement |
Employees may give the same minimum notice when resigning. The award itself does not specify notice periods beyond the NES scale, so the NES minimum applies.
If an employer terminates without giving notice, they must pay the employee in lieu of notice (i.e., pay the wages the employee would have earned during the notice period).
The notice period does not apply to casual employees or to dismissal for serious misconduct.
Redundancy Pay
If your position is made redundant (genuine redundancy), you are entitled to redundancy pay under the NES (Fair Work Act 2009, Sch 4, s.119). The Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010 does not provide enhanced redundancy above the NES formula.
NES genuine redundancy pay scale:
| Years of continuous service | Weeks of pay |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 4 weeks |
| 2 years | 6 weeks |
| 3 years | 7 weeks |
| 4 years | 8 weeks |
| 5 years | 10 weeks |
| 6 years | 11 weeks |
| 7 years | 13 weeks |
| 8 years | 14 weeks |
| 9 years | 16 weeks |
| 10 or more years | 12 weeks (capped) |
Important: Small business employers (fewer than 15 employees) are exempt from NES redundancy pay obligations. Most hair and beauty salons employ fewer than 15 people — if this applies to your employer, they are not required to pay statutory redundancy, though they must still give the correct notice.
Redundancy pay is tax-free up to a limit set by the ATO each year. For 2025-26, the tax-free component of a genuine redundancy payment is AUD $12,524 plus AUD $6,264 for each completed year of service.
Superannuation
From 1 July 2025, employers must pay superannuation at the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate of 12% of ordinary time earnings under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992. This is a mandatory employer contribution — it is paid on top of your wage, not deducted from it.
Ordinary time earnings include your base rate, casual loading, and leave loading, but generally exclude overtime. Super is paid quarterly at minimum (though many employers pay monthly).
Employees have the right to choose their super fund (Choice of Fund, Fair Work Act 2009 s.149A). If you do not nominate a fund, your employer pays into their default fund (which must be a MySuper product with an authorised fund).
The concessional contributions cap for 2025-26 is AUD $30,000 per year. This cap includes employer SG contributions plus any salary-sacrifice contributions you make. If you salary-sacrifice super on top of the employer SG, be aware of this cap to avoid excess contributions tax.
Allowances and Special Provisions
The award includes several specific allowances:
Uniform allowance: If your employer requires you to wear a specific uniform, they must either provide it free of charge or pay you an allowance to cover the cost of purchase and laundering.
Laundry allowance: If you are required to launder your uniform, you receive a set weekly laundry allowance.
Vehicle allowance: If you are required to use your own vehicle for work purposes (for example, mobile hairdressers or beauty therapists attending clients at home), you are entitled to a vehicle allowance per kilometre at the rate set by the ATO.
Split shift allowance: If your shifts are split into two segments separated by a non-meal break of more than 30 minutes, you are entitled to a split shift allowance.
First aid allowance: If you hold a first aid certificate and are required to use it, a first aid allowance applies.
Meal allowance: If you are required to work overtime for more than 1.5 hours beyond your ordinary finishing time without prior notice, a meal allowance applies.
State and Territory Variations
Modern Awards like the Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010 are federal instruments — the minimum pay rates are the same in every Australian state and territory. However, some important entitlements are governed by state law and do differ by jurisdiction:
Long service leave is the most significant variation. Each state and territory sets its own qualifying period and entitlement:
| State/Territory | Qualifying period | Entitlement |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 10 years | 2 months (8.667 weeks) |
| Victoria | 7 years | 6.067 weeks |
| Queensland | 10 years | 8.667 weeks |
| South Australia | 10 years | 13 weeks |
| Western Australia | 10 years | 8.667 weeks |
| Tasmania | 10 years | 8.667 weeks |
| Australian Capital Territory | 10 years | 6.067 weeks |
| Northern Territory | 10 years | 13 weeks |
Use the Long Service Leave tab in the free calculator above to estimate your entitlement based on your state.
Public holidays follow the federal calendar (New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Monday, ANZAC Day, King's Birthday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day) plus state-specific additions: Melbourne Cup Day in Victoria, EKKA Show Day in Queensland, Adelaide Cup Day in South Australia, Foundation Day in Western Australia, and Eight Hours Day in Tasmania.
Workers compensation schemes are state-based. If you are injured at work, you must claim through your state scheme — icare in NSW, WorkSafe in Victoria, WorkCover Queensland, ReturnToWork SA, WorkCover WA, WorkSafe Tasmania, Comcare in the ACT, and NT WorkSafe in the Northern Territory.
Your Rights at Work
Unfair dismissal: If you are dismissed and believe it was harsh, unjust, or unreasonable, you may apply to the Fair Work Commission for an unfair dismissal remedy under Fair Work Act 2009 s.394. You must be outside your minimum employment period: 6 months for employers with 15 or more employees, or 12 months for small businesses (fewer than 15 employees). You must apply within 21 days of dismissal.
General protections: You cannot be dismissed or adversely treated for reasons such as taking sick leave, raising a workplace safety concern, making a complaint to the FWO, or exercising a workplace right (FWA Pt 3-1). General protections apply from day one of employment — there is no minimum employment period.
Right of entry: Union officials holding an FWC entry permit have the right to enter workplaces to check compliance with modern awards and consult with members, subject to 24 hours' notice (reduced or waived in certain circumstances).
Workplace health and safety: All employers have duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) or the equivalent state WHS legislation to provide a safe working environment. In hair and beauty workplaces, this includes safe handling of chemicals (colour, bleach, relaxers), proper ventilation, and ergonomic considerations.
If you believe your employer is not paying you correctly, you can report this to the Fair Work Ombudsman (1300 724 690 or fairwork.gov.au). The FWO can investigate and recover underpaid wages.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For questions about your specific employment situation, contact your union, the Fair Work Ombudsman (1300 724 690) or a qualified employment lawyer. Verify all pay rates at fairwork.gov.au.
