Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award pay rates
Award code MA000096, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 9 adult classifications under the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $25.74 to $29.45 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$25.74an hour
For Dry cleaning employee Level 1. $978.10 for a full-time week. Up 6.01% from $24.28. Casuals get $32.18 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 71 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars an hour, from 1 July 2026- Dry cleaning employee Level 1$25.74
- Dry cleaning employee Level 2$26.44
- Dry cleaning employee Level 3$26.49
- Dry cleaning employee Level 4$27.97
- Dry cleaning employee Level 5$29.45
- Laundry employee Level 1$25.77
- Laundry employee Level 2$26.66
- Laundry employee Level 3$27.72
- Laundry employee Level 4$28.43
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at Dry cleaning employee Level 1.
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 |
| Saturday–ordinary hours worked before midday | 125%$32.18 |
| Saturday–ordinary hours worked after midday | 150%$38.61 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
Dry cleaningClause 18.1(a)
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry cleaning employee Level 1 | $978.10 | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Dry cleaning employee Level 2 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Dry cleaning employee Level 3 | $1,006.80 | $26.49 | $33.11 |
| Dry cleaning employee Level 4 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Dry cleaning employee Level 5 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
LaundryClause 18.1(b)
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laundry employee Level 1 | $979.40 | $25.77 | $32.21 |
| Laundry employee Level 2 | $1,012.90 | $26.66 | $33.33 |
| Laundry employee Level 3 | $1,053.40 | $27.72 | $34.65 |
| Laundry employee Level 4 | $1,080.30 | $28.43 | $35.54 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Full-time and part-time adult dry cleaning employees other than shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Dry cleaning employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 |
| Saturday–ordinary hours worked before midday | 125%$32.18 |
| Saturday–ordinary hours worked after midday | 150%$38.61 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 |
Full-time and part-time adult laundry employees other than shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Laundry employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.77 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.43 |
Casual adult employees other than shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates, Dry cleaning employees
Dollars an hour at Dry cleaning employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 125%$32.18 |
| Saturday–ordinary hours worked before midday | 150%$38.61 |
| Saturday–ordinary hours worked after midday | 175%$45.05 |
| Public holiday | 275%$70.79 |
Casual adult employees other than shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates, Laundry employees
Dollars an hour at Laundry employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 125%$32.21 |
| Public holiday | 275%$70.87 |
Shiftwork
Full-time and part-time adult dry cleaning shiftworkers: ordinary and shiftwork rates
Dollars an hour at Dry cleaning employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Day | 100%$25.74 |
| Morning, afternoon or night shift | 115%$29.60 |
| Saturday - ordinary hours worked before midday | 125%$32.18 |
| Permanent night shift | 130%$33.46 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift – dry cleaning - First 3 hours | 150%$38.61 |
| Saturday - ordinary hours worked after midday | 150%$38.61 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift – dry cleaning - After first 3 hours | 200%$51.48 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 |
Full-time and part-time adult laundry shiftworkers: ordinary and shiftwork rates
Dollars an hour at Laundry employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Day | 100%$25.77 |
| Morning, afternoon or night shift | 115%$29.64 |
| Permanent night shift | 130%$33.50 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift – laundry - First 3 hours | 150%$38.66 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift – laundry - After 3 hours | 200%$51.54 |
Full-time and part-time adult laundry shiftworkers: penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Laundry employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Saturday – ordinary hours worked before midday | 125%$32.21 |
| Saturday – ordinary hours worked after midday | 150%$38.66 |
| Sunday - all day | 200%$51.54 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.43 |
Casual adult shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates, Dry cleaning employees
Dollars an hour at Dry cleaning employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 125%$32.18 |
| Morning, afternoon or night shift | 140%$36.04 |
| Saturday - ordinary hours worked before midday | 150%$38.61 |
| Permanent night shift | 155%$39.90 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift - dry cleaning - first 3 hours | 175%$45.05 |
| Saturday - ordinary hours worked after midday | 175%$45.05 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift - dry cleaning - after 3 hours | 225%$57.92 |
| Public holiday | 275%$70.79 |
Casual adult shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates, Laundry employees
Dollars an hour at Laundry employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 125%$32.21 |
| Morning, afternoon or night shift | 140%$36.08 |
| Saturday - ordinary hours worked before midday | 150%$38.66 |
| Permanent night shift | 155%$39.94 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift - laundry - first 3 hours | 175%$45.10 |
| Saturday - ordinary hours worked after midday | 175%$45.10 |
| Non-successive morning, afternoon or night shift - laundry - after 3 hours | 225%$57.98 |
| Sunday - all day | 225%$57.98 |
| Public holiday | 275%$70.87 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time adult dry cleaning employees including shiftworkers: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Dry cleaning employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday – first 3 hours | 150%$38.61 |
| Monday to Saturday – after 3 hours | 200%$51.48 |
| Sunday – all day | 200%$51.48 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 |
Full-time and part-time adult laundry employees including shiftworkers: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Laundry employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday - first 3 hours | 150%$38.66 |
| Monday to Saturday - after 3 hours | 200%$51.54 |
| Sunday - all day | 200%$51.54 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.43 |
Casual adult employees including shiftworkers: overtime rates, Dry cleaning employees
Dollars an hour at Dry cleaning employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday – first 3 hours | 175%$45.05 |
| Monday to Saturday – after 3 hours | 225%$57.92 |
| Sunday - all day | 225%$57.92 |
| Public holiday | 275%$70.79 |
Casual adult employees including shiftworkers: overtime rates, Laundry employees
Dollars an hour at Laundry employee Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday - first 3 hours | 175%$45.10 |
| Monday to Saturday - after 3 hours | 225%$57.98 |
| Sunday - all day | 225%$57.98 |
| Public holiday | 275%$70.87 |
Allowances paid on top
2 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 2 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Disability allowance, handling foul laundryClause 20.2(a) | $21.93 a week |
| First aid allowanceClause 20.2(b) | $22.38 a week |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance | ||
| More than one hour’s overtime after usual ceasing timeClause 20.3(a)(i) | $13.67 each time | |
| Late cancellation of overtimeClause 20.3(a)(ii) | $13.67 each time | |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
Cleaning, security and property services
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour ($978.10 a week full time), for Dry cleaning employee Level 1. The highest adult classification is $29.45 an hour.
- How does the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 71 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 6.01%, from $24.28 to $25.74 an hour, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What is the casual loading under the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Dry cleaning employee Level 1 that makes $32.18 an hour.
- What allowances are paid under the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award?
- 4 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a disability allowance, handling foul laundry of $21.93 a week and a first aid allowance of $22.38 a week. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.