Joinery and Building Trades Award

Coverage is specific and often disputed, so the industry and occupation list matters as much as the exclusions do. Use both.

• Start with the industry and occupation list in clause 4.2, then check the exclusion clauses before assuming coverage.
• Do not use this award for on-site construction work already covered by the on-site award, or for glass manufacture from raw materials.
• If the employer is outside the listed industries, only use this award where the employee fits one of the listed occupations and no more appropriate award classification exists.

Engagement documents matter under this award because part-time and casual rules are prescriptive and practical failures show up quickly in payroll audits.

• Record whether the employee is full-time, part-time or casual.
• For part-time employees, get the written agreement in place before work starts and keep any variation in writing.
• For casual employees, give written engagement details including employer, job, classification and rate of pay, and apply the minimum daily engagement rule.
• Use the casual conversion pathway through the NES rather than trying to create an informal halfway status.

The award's ordinary hours model is built around the day worker roster cycle, so rostering choices should be deliberate rather than informal.

• Day workers are rostered through a rostered day off model unless an agreed alternative method is adopted.
• Ordinary hours for day workers sit within the award span, and the alternative cycle options must be agreed in writing with the required employee support.
• Public holiday work carries a minimum payment rule, and part day public holiday rules interact with that minimum engagement.

Schedule A is practical and task based, so classification should be checked against duties, training and progression rather than habit.

• Classify entry level employees by the actual Level 1 or Level 2 duties they perform.
• The award expects Level 1 employees to move on from that level within the period stated in the schedule.
• Do not leave assemblers or general hands underclassified where they are performing the wider duties described at higher levels.

Allowance administration is one of the main compliance pressure points under this award because several allowances are all purpose and trade specific.

• Pay and separately identify allowances the employee is entitled to under clause 21.
• Check all purpose allowances, especially leading hand, industry, tool and stonemasonry tools and equipment allowances.
• Industry allowance rules differ depending on whether the employee is on joinery, shopfitting, stonemasonry, outside work or non factory glazing.

After hours contact rules need to line up with the award's right to disconnect term and its specific recall to work example.

• The right to disconnect applies on the dates stated in the award term.
• The employer cannot prevent an employee from exercising that right, but the clause preserves contact needed for a lawful recall to work under the overtime provisions.
• Supervisors should understand the difference between a genuine recall and routine out of hours contact.

PR799280, PR799310, PR799467

The current consolidated award incorporates these recent variation determinations. Use the consolidated wording when checking any affected clause, schedule, rate or allowance.

Affected: 19 - Minimum rates, 21 - Allowances, Schedule B - Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay, Schedule C - Summary of Monetary Allowances, Schedule E - National Training Wage, Schedule F - Supported Wage System