Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award

The award (MA000096) covers employers and employees in the dry cleaning and laundry industry across Australia. This includes dry cleaning, dyeing and repairing garments, and the washing, sorting and packing of laundry, along with closely connected work. Some staff may instead fall under other awards, such as the Cleaning Services or Clerks awards, so check coverage carefully before applying this award to a role.

Rates are set by classification level. The award has two streams: Dry Cleaning with five levels and Laundry with four levels. Each level has its own adult minimum weekly and hourly rate, with lower percentage scales for juniors and apprentices. The correct rate depends on the level matching the skills the role requires. Always confirm the current dollar figure for a level using the Fair Work Pay Calculator, as rates change each year.

Casual employees are paid a loading, commonly 25%, on top of the minimum hourly rate for their classification. The loading compensates casuals for not receiving entitlements such as paid annual leave, personal leave and notice of termination. It applies to all hours worked. Because the exact loading is set in the award, confirm the current figure against the Fair Work source before processing casual pay.

The award applies penalties for weekend work. As a guide, Saturday work commonly attracts around 25% extra, with a higher rate for Saturday afternoon, and Sunday work is commonly paid at roughly 50% extra. The precise rates differ between the dry cleaning and laundry streams and are set in the award. Use the Fair Work Pay Calculator to confirm the exact current penalty for the relevant day and classification.

Employees who work on a public holiday are paid at a higher penalty rate, which under modern awards can be up to around 150% on top of the base rate, and there is usually a minimum payment for being called in. The exact rate and any minimum engagement are set in MA000096. Because these figures are adjusted over time, confirm the current public holiday rate using the Fair Work source before paying.

MA000096 includes several allowances. Notable ones are a disability allowance for handling foul or soiled laundry, a first aid allowance, an overtime meal allowance, and reimbursement-style amounts for uniforms and their laundering, tools and protective clothing. Whether an allowance applies depends on the duties and circumstances. Check the current allowance amounts in the Fair Work Pay Calculator, as they are reviewed and updated regularly.

Yes. The award includes a disability allowance for employees who handle foul, soiled or offensive laundry. It is paid on top of the base rate to recognise the unpleasant nature of the work. This is one of the more commonly missed allowances in the industry. If your staff do this kind of work, confirm the current allowance amount via the Fair Work source and make sure it is being paid.

Work beyond ordinary hours is paid at overtime penalty rates, which step up the longer the overtime continues. The award sets a higher rate for the first portion of overtime and an even higher rate after that. An overtime meal allowance may also apply where overtime runs past a set point. The exact overtime rates and thresholds are in MA000096, so confirm them with the Fair Work Pay Calculator before paying.

Juniors and apprentices are paid a percentage of the relevant adult rate, with the percentage rising as the employee gets older or progresses through their apprenticeship. The dry cleaning and laundry streams have their own junior scales, and apprentice rates are generally calculated against a reference classification. Because these percentages and the resulting dollar amounts are set in the award, confirm the correct rate for the employee's age or apprenticeship year using the Fair Work source.

Modern award minimum rates and allowances are reviewed annually and increase from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The 2026 Annual Wage Review added 4.75% to modern award minimums. This means a pay period straddling 1 July may still use the old rate until the next full period begins. To stay compliant, update your rates from the correct pay period and verify the new figures against the Fair Work Pay Calculator each year.

Yes. The award sets minimum engagement periods, meaning casual and part-time employees must be paid for a minimum number of consecutive hours each time they start work, even if sent home early. This protects staff from very short shifts. The specific minimum is set in MA000096. Confirm the current minimum engagement for your stream against the Fair Work source so rosters and pay are compliant.

Full-time and part-time employees are generally entitled to annual leave loading of 17.5% on top of their base pay when they take annual leave. Shiftworkers may instead receive the higher of the loading or the shift and weekend penalties they would otherwise have earned. This is a common payroll detail to get wrong. Confirm how the loading applies to a given employee against the award and the Fair Work source. Valont's award-compliant payroll service handles leave loading calculations like this automatically.

Start by classifying each employee into the correct stream and level, advise them in writing, and apply the matching minimum rate plus any penalties and allowances that fit their work. Then verify every figure against the Fair Work Pay Calculator and update from the first full pay period on or after 1 July each year. Many small businesses outsource this: Valont provides award-compliant payroll for SMEs, applying MA000096 rates, penalties and allowances and keeping them current as the award changes.