Storage Services and Wholesale Award

This is a broad industry award, but it does not override more specific award coverage. Mixed warehouse and transport operations need special care.

• Check whether the business and the employee's work sit inside the storage services and wholesale definition in clause 4.2.
• Then ask whether another award has a more specific classification or whether the Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020 applies.
• Where the business performs mixed functions, classify by the employee's actual work and the environment in which it is normally performed.

Classification under this award is based on the whole role, not on one licence or one recurring task alone. Payroll should follow the grade that best matches the overall job.

• Use Schedule A to grade storeworkers by skill, certification and responsibility.
• Grade 1 is the new employee level. Grade 2 introduces licensed materials handling and higher equipment use. Grade 3 adds broader warehousing skill and possible supervision. Grade 4 involves higher warehouse responsibility and quality control functions.
• Do not assume one task, such as forklift work, fixes the grade by itself.

The main hours risk under this award is treating part-time labour as if it were a casual pool. The award expects a written pattern and a clear overtime boundary.

• Part-time employees need a written regular pattern showing hours, days and start and finish times.
• Any agreed variation must also be recorded in writing.
• Part-time employees must be rostered for at least 3 consecutive hours on a shift.
• Time worked beyond the mutually arranged hours is overtime under clause 10.6.

This award allows flexibility, but only if the employer follows the notice and agreement machinery. Verbal arrangements are not enough.

• Day worker ordinary hours average up to 38 over 4 weeks and are ordinarily worked between 7.00 am and 5.30 pm Monday to Friday.
• Longer daily ordinary hours and weekend ordinary days depend on the agreements allowed by clause 13.1.
• An employer must give one week's notice before changing starting and finishing times in an establishment.
• If rostered days off or make-up time are used, follow the specific notice and agreement rules in clauses 13.4 and 13.5.

Warehousing payroll often goes wrong on the extras rather than the base rate. Temperature, travel and overtime meals need their own review.

• Check first aid entitlements if an employee is appointed or required to perform that function.
• Roles in cold stores need a separate review because the award has temperature-based allowance provisions.
• Apply overtime meal and travel or fare reimbursement rules when the clause triggers are met.
• Keep allowance items distinct in payroll records instead of hiding them in ordinary pay.

This award gives employers room to agree to practical arrangements, but only through the clauses that expressly allow it.

• Remember the award operates alongside the NES and any relevant enterprise instrument questions.
• If you rely on a facilitative clause, use the agreement process identified in the award rather than informal side deals.
• Keep written records of the agreements you are relying on.

PR799280, PR799364, PR799519

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

Affected: 15 - Minimum rates, 17 - Allowances, Schedule B - Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay, Schedule C - Summary of Monetary Allowances, Schedule D - Supported Wage System