The Complete Guide to the Cleaning Services Award [2025]

Understanding the Cleaning Services Award is essential for cleaning business owners, HR managers, and payroll officers.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about your obligations under the award in clear, straightforward terms.

And if you download our eBook, you’ll get access to a BONUS pay rate cheat sheet, checklist, classification tables and more.

Disclaimer:
Please note that every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided in this guide is accurate. You should note, however, that the information is intended as a guide only, providing an overview of general information available. This guide is not intended to be an exhaustive source of information and should not be seen to constitute legal or tax advice. You should, where necessary, seek a second professional opinion for any legal or tax issues raised in your business affairs.

• Office cleaners employed by contract cleaning businesses
• Shopping centre cleaners employed by contract cleaning businesses
• Specialist cleaning businesses (gutter cleaning, restoration, damaged property cleaning)
• Trolley collectors working for contract trolley businesses
• Event cleaning services
• Hygiene and pollution control services

However, the award does not cover:

• Cleaners directly employed by retail businesses or hotels
• Car washers/detailers
• Laundry and dry-cleaning services
• Cleaning at civil construction premises
• Trolley collectors employed directly by retail businesses

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Full-time Employees

• Work an average of 38 ordinary hours per week
• Hours can be arranged in various ways including:
  • 5 days of 7.6 hours each
  • 19 days of 8 hours each per month
  • Up to 10 hours on any day by agreement

Part-time Employees

Part-time employees are those who work fewer than 38 hours per week, which is the standard full-time workweek under the award. While they work reduced hours compared to full-time staff, part-time employees are still entitled to the same benefits as their full-time counterparts on a pro-rata basis.

Pro-rata means "in proportion," so part-time employees receive entitlements proportional to the hours they work. This ensures fairness and consistency in the workplace, as part-time employees are not disadvantaged due to their reduced hours.

For example, let's consider annual leave entitlements. Full-time employees are entitled to 4 weeks of annual leave per year under the award. If a part-time employee works half the hours of a full-time employee, they would be entitled to half the annual leave—2 weeks per year.

So, if a full-time employee works 38 hours per week and a part-time employee works 19 hours per week, here's how their annual leave entitlement would be calculated:

Full-time employee:

• 38 hours per week × 52 weeks = 1,976 hours per year
• 4 weeks annual leave × 38 hours per week = 152 hours of annual leave per year

Part-time employee:

• 19 hours per week × 52 weeks = 988 hours per year
• 988 hours per year ÷ 1,976 hours per year (full-time equivalent) = 0.5 (50%)
• 0.5 × 152 hours of annual leave = 76 hours of annual leave per year

This pro-rata principle applies to other entitlements as well, such as personal/carer's leave and long service leave.

It's important to note that part-time employees must have a written agreement with their employer specifying their working arrangements, including:

• The number of hours to be worked each day
• The days of the week they will work
• Their start and finish times

Having this written agreement provides clarity and protection for both the employee and the employer. It ensures that part-time employees have predictable hours and receive their correct entitlements, while also allowing employers to plan their staffing and resources effectively.

Casual Employees

Casual employment is a common arrangement in the cleaning industry, offering flexibility for both employers and employees. However, there are a few key aspects of this arrangement that differ from full-time and part-time employment arrangements. To ensure compliance you must understand each of these aspects. 

No Guaranteed Hours 

One of the defining features of casual employment is the absence of guaranteed hours. Unlike full-time or part-time employees who have a set number of hours they work each week, casual employees do not have a fixed schedule or minimum hours. 

Their work hours can fluctuate from week to week depending on the needs of the business and the availability of the employee.

25% Casual Loading

To compensate for the lack of certain entitlements that permanent employees receive, such as paid annual leave and personal/carer's leave, casual employees are entitled to a higher hourly rate of pay. Under the Cleaning Services Award, casual employees receive a 25% casual loading on top of the minimum hourly rate for their classification.

Let's look at an example to understand how this works in practice. 

If a full-time or part-time cleaner in a particular classification has a minimum hourly rate of $25, a casual employee performing the same role would be entitled to a minimum hourly rate of $31.25 (i.e., $25 + 25% casual loading).

The casual loading is designed to provide a financial buffer for the unpredictable nature of casual work and to ensure that casual employees are not disadvantaged compared to their permanent counterparts. Employers must ensure they are applying the correct casual loading and paying their casual employees accordingly to maintain compliance with the award.

Minimum Engagement Periods

Under the Cleaning Services Award, casual (and part-time) employees are entitled to minimum shift durations based on the total cleaning area of the location they are working at. 

These minimum engagement periods ensure that employees are fairly compensated for their time and travel, even if the actual work takes less time than the minimum shift length.

For example, let’s say Tom, a casual cleaner, is rostered to work at a school with a total cleaning area of 1800 square metres. The minimum engagement period for this location is 2 hours, as it falls within the up to 2000 square metre category. Tom must be rostered for at least 2 consecutive hours and paid accordingly, even if he finishes his duties in 1.5 hours.

We discuss these engagement periods under the “Hours of Work” section below. 

Right to Request Casual Conversion 

Casual employees who have been working for the same employer for at least 12 months may be eligible to request a conversion to permanent employment (either full-time or part-time).

This provision, known as casual conversion, aims to provide long-term casual employees with greater job security and access to the entitlements associated with permanent employment.

To be eligible for casual conversion under the Cleaning Services Award, a casual employee must have worked a regular pattern of hours on an ongoing basis over the previous 6 months.

This means they have been working a consistent number of hours each week with little variation, indicating a level of stability and predictability in their employment.

If a casual employee meets these criteria, they can submit a written request to their employer to convert to permanent employment. The employer must then provide a written response within 21 days, either accepting or rejecting the request. If the employer refuses the request, they must provide reasonable grounds for the refusal.

Ordinary Hours for Full-Time Employees

Full-time employees work an average of 38 ordinary hours per week, which can be arranged in various ways to provide flexibility for both the employer and the employee. The award allows for the following options:

• Working 5 days of 7.6 hours each per week
• Working 152 hours per 4-week cycle with rostered days off (up to 12 per year)
• Working 19 days of 8 hours each per month
• Working up to 10 hours on any day by agreement between the employer and the majority of employees

These arrangements can only be changed with a minimum of one week's notice, except in emergencies, and can’t be altered during an ongoing cycle.

Ordinary Hours for Part-Time and Casual Employees

Part-time and casual employees can work their ordinary hours by doing shifts of up to 7.6 hours per day, for a maximum of 5 days per week. The award specifies minimum shift durations based on the total cleaning area of the worksite:

*Only applies when the employee is the sole worker at a small stand-alone site, and it's not practical to work a longer shift across multiple locations.

Employees must be paid for the full minimum shift duration even if they work for a shorter time.

Rostering Provisions

The award outlines several key points about rostering for full-time and part-time employees:

• The employer must prepare a roster showing each employee's name and work start/finish times.
• The roster must be posted in a conspicuous, easily accessible place.
• Rosters can be changed at any time by mutual agreement or with 7 days' notice (shorter in emergencies).
• Roster changes must be recorded in the employee's time and wages records.

Days Off per Week

All employees are entitled to 2 consecutive full days off within each 7-day cycle.

Employee Right to Disconnect

From 26 August 2024 (or 2025 for small businesses), employees have the right to disconnect from work outside their working hours.

This means they can refuse to monitor, read, or respond to work-related contact from their employer or third parties during their off-hours, unless it's unreasonable to do so.

Employers can’t prevent employees from exercising this right, but they can still contact workers outside working hours for emergency roster changes or recalls to work.

Shiftworkers

Employees who work shifts that attract a shift penalty under the award are considered shiftworkers. They are entitled to the following breaks:

• Paid Meal Break:
   
  • Shiftworkers are entitled to a paid meal break of at least 20 minutes per shift.
  • This break must be taken between 4 and 5 hours after the start of the shift.
  • The paid meal break counts as time worked for the employee.

• Paid Rest Break:
   
  • Full-time shiftworkers working a straight shift are entitled to one additional 10-minute paid rest break per shift.
  • This paid rest break also counts as time worked.

Non-Shiftworkers

Employees who are not entitled to a paid meal break under the shiftworker provisions fall into this category. They are entitled to the following breaks:

• Unpaid Meal Breaks:
   
  • Non-shiftworkers are entitled to an unpaid meal break of between 30 minutes and 1 hour.
  • They cannot be required to work for more than 4½ hours (or 5 hours in an emergency) without a meal break.
  • The unpaid meal break does not count as time worked.

• Paid Rest Breaks:
   
  • Non-shiftworkers are entitled to a 10-minute paid morning rest break and a 10-minute paid afternoon rest break.
  • These paid rest breaks count as time worked for the employee.

Interruptions and Overtime Meal Breaks (All Employees): 

The award also covers situations where breaks are interrupted or when employees work overtime:

• Interrupted Meal Breaks: If an employee is interrupted during their meal break and directed to work, the employer must pay them at the overtime rate until they can resume their break.

• Overtime Meal Breaks: An employee working overtime is entitled to a paid 20-minute meal break after each 4 hours of overtime worked.
  
  

Breaks Between Shifts

To ensure adequate rest between shifts, the award stipulates the following: 

• Employees must have a minimum break of 8 consecutive hours between finishing one shift of ordinary hours (including any immediately following overtime) and starting the next shift of ordinary hours (including any immediately preceding overtime).
• If an employer requires an employee to start work without having had at least 8 consecutive hours off duty, the employee must be paid at the overtime rate until they are released from duty for at least 8 consecutive hours.
• The employee must not lose any pay for ordinary working hours not worked during this release from duty period.

Further, the award outlines various classifications and levels for employees based on their duties, responsibilities, and experience. Each classification and level has a corresponding minimum pay rate.

These rates serve as a baseline, and employers must pay their employees at least the minimum rate applicable to their classification and level.

To access our FREE classification tables and pay rate cheat sheets you can download our eBook here. 

• 11.5% of ordinary time earnings (as of July 2024)
• Payable for all employees regardless of earnings
• An employee can choose their super fund
• If no choice made, the employer must pay into the default fund listed in award

Superannuation must be paid during:

• Paid leave
• Work-related injury/illness (up to 52 weeks)
• Long service leave
• Annual leave
• Personal/carer's leave

However, employees have the right to refuse overtime hours if they are unreasonable. 

Several factors must be considered when determining whether overtime hours are reasonable, such as:

• Risks to employee health and safety
• The employee's personal circumstances and family responsibilities
• The needs of the workplace or enterprise
• Notice given by the employer and the employee
• Usual industry patterns and the employee's role and level of responsibility

Overtime Payments

Full-time employees must be paid at the overtime rate for any hours worked in excess of their ordinary hours. For part-time and casual employees, all time worked beyond 7.6 hours per day, five days per week, or 38 hours in any week is considered overtime.

The overtime rates for full-time, part-time, and casual employees are as follows:

Note: Overtime worked on any day stands alone and is not cumulative across multiple days.

Time Off Instead of Overtime Payment

Employers and employees can agree in writing for the employee to take time off instead of being paid for overtime. 

This agreement must state the number of overtime hours, when they were worked, and that the employee can request payment for the overtime at any time. Time off must be taken within 6 months of the overtime being worked, at a time agreed upon by the employer and employee. 

If the time off is not taken within 6 months, the employer must pay the employee for the overtime worked.

Here's an example to illustrate this.

Lets say Jane, a full-time cleaner, works 2 hours of overtime on a Monday. She and her employer agree in writing that she will take time off instead of receiving overtime pay. The agreement states that Jane worked 2 overtime hours on Monday and that she can request payment for those hours at the applicable overtime rate at any time. 

Jane must take the 2 hours of time off within 6 months, at a time that she and her employer agree upon. If Jane doesn't take the time off within 6 months, her employer must pay her for the 2 hours of overtime at the applicable overtime rate in the next pay period.

Call Back

If an employee is recalled to work overtime after completing their ordinary hours and leaving the employer's premises, they must be paid for a minimum of 2 hours at the overtime rate, even if they work for less than 2 hours.

Call Back for Non-Cleaning Purposes

If an employee is required to return to work after completing their ordinary hours for administrative duties or a disciplinary/counselling interview, they must be paid at the appropriate rate for a minimum number of hours, depending on the day:

This does not apply if the attendance is continuous with ordinary hours or overtime or if it's for paid training.

Penalty Rates

In addition to overtime, the award sets out penalty rates for hours worked at specified times or on certain days. These penalty rates apply to the employee's minimum hourly rate and are not paid at the overtime rate.

Here's an example to help illustrate penalty rates:

Margaret, a part-time Level 1 employee, works 5-hour shifts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6pm to 11pm. Her minimum hourly rate is $24.97.

To calculate her pay for the Friday night shift:

• Multiply the minimum hourly rate ($24.97) by the part-time penalty rate for shifts finishing after 6pm (130%) to get the night shift rate: $32.46
• Multiply the night shift rate ($32.46) by the number of hours worked (5) for a total of $162.30

For the Saturday shift:

• Multiply the minimum hourly rate ($24.97) by the part-time Saturday penalty rate (165%) to get the Saturday rate: $41.20
• Multiply the Saturday rate ($41.20) by the hours worked (5) for a total of $206.00

For the Sunday shift:

• Multiply the minimum hourly rate ($24.97) by the part-time Sunday penalty rate (215%) to get the Sunday rate: $53.69
• Multiply the Sunday rate ($53.69) by the hours worked (5) for a total of $268.45

Margaret's total pay for the three shifts is the sum of the amounts calculated above: $162.30 + $206.00 + $268.45 = $636.75

Search our database for all relevant allowances to your modern award.

Annual Leave:

• 4 weeks per year for full-time/part-time employees
• 5 weeks for shift workers
• 17.5% leave loading or shift penalties (whichever is greater)
• Can be taken in advance by agreement
• Excessive leave provisions apply after 8 weeks accrual

Personal/Carer's Leave:

• 10 days paid leave per year
• Accumulates progressively
• Medical certificate required after 2 consecutive days
• Unpaid carer's leave available for casuals

Long Service Leave:

• Based on state/territory legislation
• Generally 8.67 weeks after 10 years service
• Pro-rata entitlements may apply earlier

Public Holidays:

• Full-time/part-time employees are entitled to a day off with pay
• Work on public holidays paid at 250%
• Casual employees receive 275%, including casual loading
• Substitute days can be agreed upon between the employer and the employee

Essential points for employers:

• Ensure correct award classification, apply appropriate pay rates and include all relevant allowances
• Monitor working hours, ensure proper breaks and record all hours worked
• Maintain accurate records
• Follow rostering requirements
• Process leave correctly

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• Automating calculations
• Tracking allowances
• Managing rosters
• Recording time and attendance
• Generating compliant payslips
• Maintaining required records
• Producing audit reports

Managing payroll under the Cleaning Services Award doesn't need to be complicated. Pay Cat's award-interpreted payroll solution removes the complexity and risk of manual calculations.

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