WorksheetsPay & Awards Challenge
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 8mins
Mark wants to employ Evan as a barista in his café, but he wants to make sure he has the practical skills required before hiring him.
What can Mark do?
Tell Evan he needs to work a few unpaid shifts to see if he is suitable for the position.
Ask Evan to come in and make a few different coffees so he can demonstrate that he has the necessary skills required for the job.
Jimmy is a cashier at the local fast food shop. One night, his manager counts the till and finds that it is under by a few dollars. Jimmy was the only person who used the till that night. When Jimmy was hired, he signed an agreement saying that till shortages could be deducted from his pay.
Is it okay for Jimmy’s manager to make a deduction from his pay to cover the shortage?
Yes - Jimmy can be held responsible for the till shortage as he was the only person operating the till that night and he's signed an agreement saying that till shortages could be deducted from his pay.
No - It’s unlawful to make a deduction from Jimmy’s pay for the till shortage.
Darren works part-time Wednesday to Friday in an office. Friday is the Queen’s Birthday public holiday and the office will be closed, so Darren doesn’t have to work. Is Darren entitled to be paid for the day off?
Yes
No
Barry is considering hiring his first employee.
What allowances could the new employee be entitled to under an award?
Select 4 of the following:
For wearing a special uniform or other clothing that needs cleaning.
For working a continuous period of 6 months without taking a sick day.
For doing dirty or dangerous work.
For being required to use their own vehicle for work purposes.
For being a first aid officer at work.
Davina is the owner of a hairdressing business and has full-time and casual hairdressers. Davina knows that her casual employees don’t receive paid annual leave, paid sick (personal)/carer’s leave or paid days off for public holidays.
What pay rate should Davina pay her casual hairdressers?
The national minimum wage.
The award rate, plus a casual loading, or free hair products in lieu of the casual loading (as long as the value is equal or higher).
The award rate, plus a casual loading.
The same as her full-time hairdressers.
A company hires its employees under a registered agreement. The agreement passed its nominal expiry date 3 months ago.
Does the registered agreement apply to the employees?
No - the registered agreement no longer applies and the employees are now covered by their award.
Yes - the company's registered agreement still applies to the employees.
Andrew operates a garage and employs 2 mechanics. He heard a story on the radio that the national minimum wage had increased.
When Andrew engaged his employees, they agreed to work for a particular rate, which at the time was above the minimum award rate. Andrew made it clear to them at the time that he couldn’t afford to pay anything higher. Now their minimum award rate is higher than what Andrew is paying them.
What should Andrew do?
Pay the new minimum rate from the date it became effective (making back-payments if necessary).
Nothing — the employees had previously agreed in writing to work for the lower rate so he doesn’t have to increase their pay to the minimum award rate.
Mary is a shop owner. She plans to hire her first sales assistant.
Where can she find out what to pay her employee?
There's no need to find out – it will depend on what she and her new employee agree to.
She should ask around and get the ‘going rate’.
She can use the Pay Calculator on www.fairwork.gov.au
John runs a business.
Which 3 of the following does John need to consider when working out which award applies to each of his employees?
The industry that the business is in.
The type of work the employee does.
The coverage clause in the award.
The number of employees the business employs.
Catherine has started a new business. She has checked www.fairwork.gov.au and discovered that her industry isn’t covered by an award.
If Catherine decides to hire an employee, is there a minimum pay rate that she will need to pay them?
Yes
No
Luke is the owner of a security business. The business has a registered agreement that has been in operation for the past 3 years. Luke has discovered that the base pay rates in the Security Services Industry Award are now higher than the base pay rate under the registered agreement.
Does Luke need to pay the base pay rates under the registered agreement or the base pay rates under the award?
Base pay rate under the registered agreement.
Base pay rate under the award.
Sarah runs a café and has been approached by Kellie about an after-school job. Kellie is in her final year of school and has already turned 18. Sarah agrees to employ Kellie as a casual employee. She has checked the award and found there are special rates of pay for juniors.
What should Sarah pay Kellie?
The lowest rate under the award because she is new, plus the casual loading.
A junior wage under the award plus the casual loading.
A trainee pay rate since Kellie is new and still learning.
Willow owns a retail store and has decided that she wants to keep the store open on Thursday and Friday evenings.
Does Willow need to look into whether she has to pay her employees more for working these times?
Yes – penalty rates, allowances and shift loadings might apply for an evening shift.
No – employees only have to be paid more on weekends and public holidays
Edwin is employed in Andrew’s fast food business. Edwin works a 6 hour shift. Under his award, he should get a meal break after 5 hours. Andrew would like Edwin to work for the full 6 hour shift without a break, but allow him to take an extra break on his next shift.
Can Andrew do this?
No – Under the award Edwin can’t work for more than 5 hours without a meal break.
Yes – Andrew does not need to provide Edwin with a meal break, as long as he is allowed to make it up another time.
Greg is a machine operator and the factory he works at has been damaged by a flood in the area. His boss has told him that there is no other work available for the next week until the factory has been repaired.
Can Greg’s boss stand down Greg without pay?
No – Greg must still be paid even if there is no work available while the factory is being repaired.
Yes – Greg's boss can stand down Greg without pay where there is no work available while the factory is being repaired.
Lily is a casual sales assistant in a retail fashion store. Lily’s boss tells her that she has to attend a weekly staff meeting at the end of her shift for 30 minutes without pay. Lily’s boss gives all casual staff a discount on clothes as compenstation for the extra time they may need to stay back for meetings.
Does Lily need to be paid for this time?
No – As a casual employee, Lily can be lawfully asked to do additional hours without pay as long as the request is reasonable.
Yes – Lily should be paid for all time worked including time spent attending meetings that fall outside her rostered shifts.
No – Lily’s boss gives all the employees a discount on clothes and this compensates them for the extra time they spend staying back for meetings.
