Building & Construction Award, explained for shift work.
Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 · Reviewed July 2026 by the MyGig compliance team
On-site building, civil, and engineering construction work, from general labouring to trades, with industry-specific allowances that materially change effective rates.
Penalties and loadings to know
- Casual loading of 25% where casual engagement is used (daily-hire is more common on site)
- An industry allowance and often tool/special allowances fold into the effective rate
- Overtime at time-and-a-half then double time; RDO systems are standard
Roles typically covered
Casual hourly rates under the Building & Construction Award
| Classification | Casual $/hr |
|---|---|
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1) (level a) | $35.10 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1) (level b) | $35.76 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1) (level c) | $36.21 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1) (level d) | $36.83 |
| Level 2 (CW/ECW 2) | $37.54 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) | $38.58 |
| Level 4 (CW/ECW 4) | $39.74 |
| Level 5 (CW/ECW 5) | $40.90 |
| Level 6 (CW/ECW 6) | $41.94 |
| Level 7 (CW/ECW 7) | $43.09 |
| Level 8 (CW/ECW 8) | $44.09 |
| Level 9 (ECW 9) | $44.84 |
Adult casual hourly rates including the 25% casual loading, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, covering all 12 casual classifications in MyGig's award engine. Source: MyGig award engine, built from Fair Work Commission pay guides. Penalties, overtime, and allowances apply on top per the award.
Free download:the 2026 Casual Rates Card puts every award’s entry casual rate on one printable sheet.
Get the rates cardBreaks under the Building & Construction Award
| Min hours | Max hours | Break (mins) | Type | Paid | To be taken after | To be taken before | What the award says | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | At least 30 | Meal | - | Noon | 1.00 pm (or as otherwise agreed) | “For the purpose of a meal on each day, there must be a cessation of work and of working time of not less than 30 minutes, to be taken between noon and 1.00 pm, or as otherwise agreed between an employer and a majority of employees.” | cl 18.1(a) |
| 5+ | - | - | Meal | - | - | 5 hours of work is exceeded | “An employee must not be required to work more than 5 hours without a break for a meal.” | cl 18.1(b) |
| - | - | Up to 45 (by agreement) | Meal | - | - | - | “Where, because of the area or location of a project, the majority of on-site employees on the project request, and agreement is reached, the period of the meal break may be extended to not more than 45 minutes with a consequential adjustment to the daily time of finishing of work.” | cl 18.1(c) |
| - | - | 10 | Rest | Paid | 9.00 am | 11.00 am | “A paid rest period of 10 minutes must be allowed between 9.00 am and 11.00 am.” | cl 18.3(a) |
Quoted from the award text published by Fair Work, as at 20 August 2026. Clause numbers are the award’s own. The quoted words are the award’s. The structured columns are MyGig’s transcription of the quoted sentence in the same row, and a dash means the sentence does not state that value. Breaks vary with shift length, roster and agreement, so read the clause in full before relying on any row.
Current minimum rates
Entry-level adult casual: $35.10/hr as at 1 July 2026, from MyGig's award engine (the same data that prices every shift). Award rates change with every annual wage review (first full pay period on or after 1 July). For the full classification tables, use the official pay guide, or let MyGig apply them for you: every shift estimate uses current rates, penalties included, clause cited.
Building & Construction Award FAQs
Why do construction rates look higher than the base award table?
Because industry and special allowances fold into the ordinary rate on site: the published classification minimum is only the starting point. Estimates on MyGig include the applicable allowances.
Is casual common on construction sites?
Less than in other industries: daily-hire and weekly-hire (with their own loadings) are the traditional forms. Where casuals are used, the 25% loading and award conditions apply.
What tickets do site workers need?
A White Card (general construction induction) at minimum, plus task-specific high-risk licences where relevant. MyGig verifies tickets before workers can accept site shifts.
General information only, not legal advice. The award itself (Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020, MA000020) and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay tools are the authoritative sources: read the award. Back to all award guides or MyGig compliance & EOR.
Stop interpreting awards by hand.
MyGig employs your casual workers as EOR and applies this award automatically: rates, loadings, penalties, and super, with the clause cited.