Pay and Conditions

The Architects Award sets minimum pay for Graduates of Architecture, Experienced Graduates of Architecture and Registered Architects. Check the current Architects Award and the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guides for the classification and rates that apply to your work. Rates change following wage reviews, so use the effective date for the pay period you are checking. The Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) helps calculate minimum pay, allowances and overtime. These are legal minimums, not a limit on what you can negotiate.

Employers must pay superannuation on top of salary at the rate set by the Superannuation Guarantee. As of 1 July 2025, this rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings. Super must be paid at least quarterly into a complying fund. Unpaid or late super is a separate offence under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 and can be reported to the Australian Taxation Office. We can check our super balance through myGov or our super fund’s online portal. If contributions are missing or late, that is a breach, not an oversight.

Under the National Employment Standards (Part 2-2 of the Fair Work Act 2009), full-time employees are entitled to: four weeks of paid annual leave per year; ten days of paid personal/carer's leave per year (accumulates); two days of compassionate leave per occasion; unpaid parental leave of up to 12 months (with a right to request an additional 12 months); community service leave (including jury service); and ten days of paid family and domestic violence leave (which began on 1 February 2023 for non-small-business employers and 1 August 2023 for small-business employers). These are minimum entitlements. They cannot be reduced below the legal minimum or “rolled into” a higher salary without explicit, lawful agreement. Part-time employees receive these entitlements on a pro-rata basis.

First, gather evidence: payslips, employment contract, a record of hours actually worked, and the applicable Award rates from the Fair Work Commission’s pay guide. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool to calculate what is owed. If comfortable, raise the issue with the employer in writing. Many underpayments are resolved once documented. If the matter is not resolved, or if raising it feels unsafe, contact us for confidential advice. We can assist with calculations, connect workers with industrial officers, and help navigate a complaint to the Fair Work Ombudsman. Claims can recover up to six years of back-pay. The Fair Work Ombudsman can also pursue penalties against employers who knowingly underpay workers.