Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award

It covers employers in the private corrections and detention industry across Australia and their employees. That includes privately operated correctional facilities, custody centres, court custody services and detention facilities, as well as related prisoner and detainee services such as security escort and transport. Government-run prisons and employees covered by another award or an enterprise agreement generally fall outside it.

Rates are set by classification across three schedules: correctional employees, detention services and catering employees. Each has graded levels, so an employee's minimum depends on their role and grade rather than one flat rate. Rates rise from the first full pay period on or after 1 July each year. Check the exact current figure for a classification using the Fair Work Pay Calculator before paying.

Because these facilities operate continuously, the award applies penalties for night, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday work, with permanent-night work attracting a higher loading. As a guide, weekend penalties across awards are commonly around 25% on Saturday and 50% on Sunday, but this award uses its own higher shift percentages. Confirm the exact penalty for each shift type against the Fair Work source.

Casual employees receive a casual loading, commonly 25%, on top of the minimum hourly rate for the relevant classification, in place of paid leave entitlements. Casuals also receive applicable shift, weekend and public holiday penalties on the loaded rate where the award provides for them. Always verify the current casual loading and how it interacts with penalties using the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

The award provides several allowances, including a first aid allowance for designated first aiders, a dog handler's allowance for officers working with dogs, and expense allowances such as meal and vehicle (per-kilometre) allowances. Entitlement depends on the duties performed and the situation. Because the dollar amounts change each year, confirm the current value of any allowance against the Fair Work source rather than relying on a fixed figure.

Work on a public holiday attracts a public holiday penalty, which across modern awards can be up to 150% loading depending on how the rate is expressed. Employees who would normally work that day but do not, due to the public holiday, are generally entitled to their ordinary pay for the day. Confirm the exact public holiday rate and any minimum engagement for this award using the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Modern award minimum rates are reviewed annually by the Fair Work Commission and take effect from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July. The 2026 Annual Wage Review increased modern award minimums by 4.75%. Update your payroll from the correct pay period and confirm the new rate for each classification against the Fair Work source so increases are applied accurately and on time.

Employees are generally entitled to at least 10 hours of continuous rest in each 24-hour period, except in genuine emergencies, plus defined long breaks within a roster cycle and paid rest breaks on shift. Rosters must be designed so these breaks are not eroded. Check the award's specific break, shift-length and call-back provisions before finalising rosters, and confirm the current detail against the Fair Work source.

Yes. Eligible employees are entitled to annual leave loading of 17.5% calculated on the base rate of pay, payable when they take annual leave. This is in addition to their ordinary pay for the leave period. Shiftworkers may have additional leave or penalty considerations, so confirm how loading and any shift entitlements combine for a specific employee against the Fair Work source.

Overtime is paid at escalating penalty rates that increase after a set number of overtime hours and are higher again on Sundays and public holidays. The applicable multiplier depends on when and how long the overtime is worked. Because the exact rates and the threshold at which they step up are set by the award, confirm the current overtime rates against the Fair Work source before processing any overtime payment.

Day workers perform ordinary hours within a defined daytime span, while shiftworkers work outside that span and average 38 ordinary hours over a defined cycle. Shiftworkers attract the night, weekend and public holiday shift penalties the award sets. Classifying someone as a day worker when they routinely work shifts can lead to underpaid penalties, so confirm the correct treatment and current rates against the Fair Work source.

Yes. Under the right to disconnect, which applies to non-small-business employers from 26 August 2024 and to small businesses from 26 August 2025, employees may refuse to monitor or respond to work contact outside their working hours unless that refusal is unreasonable. Given continuous rosters and on-call arrangements in this industry, set clear contact expectations. Check current Fair Work guidance for how it applies to your workforce.

Compliance comes from mapping each employee to the right classification and level, then applying the correct minimum rate, shift and weekend penalties, overtime, allowances and leave loading, and updating rates each July. Always verify current figures against the Fair Work Pay Calculator. Valont runs award-compliant payroll for Australian SMEs, interpreting awards like MA000110 so penalties, allowances and annual increases are applied correctly and on time.