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Award register

MA000041CurrentProfessional and office work

Telecommunications Services Award

The Telecommunications Services Award applies only where the business is genuinely in the telecommunications services industry and the employee fits one of the award classifications. For most employers, the main risk is not the pay table itself. It is assuming the award applies, or does not apply, without checking the business's principal function, the employee's stream, and the overlap rules for other awards, enterprise instruments and the NES.

Consolidated through
1 July 2026
Source checked
1 August 2026
Official source
Current award

01Who this award covers

This award applies to employers engaged in the telecommunications services industry and to employees who perform work in one of the award classifications. The coverage test is not just whether a business works near telecommunications. It turns on the employer's principal function, the employee's actual work, and whether the award has a fitting classification.

Businesses and work usually covered

  • Businesses whose principal function is operating as a telecommunications service carrier.
  • Businesses whose principal function is operating as a carriage service provider or content service provider.
  • Businesses whose principal function is supplying telecommunications services, including value added telecommunications services.
  • Businesses whose principal function is incidental, ancillary or complementary to those telecommunications service businesses.
  • Labour hire businesses supplying employees into covered telecommunications services work.

When another award or arrangement may apply

  • Television stations and radio stations.
  • Employees of electrical contractors covered by the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020.
  • A business whose principal function is manufacturing and supplying telecommunications equipment and lines, even if it also installs or monitors that equipment and lines.
  • A business whose principal function is installing, servicing or maintaining telecommunications equipment and lines, unless it also operates that equipment and lines.
  • Employees covered by a modern enterprise award, enterprise instrument or relevant state public sector award.
  • Employees whose work is better matched to another award classification when this award has no suitable classification.

02Roles and classifications

The award contains classification levels that connect an employee's duties, skills and responsibility to a minimum rate. Common role descriptions include:

  • Customer contact stream employees, from trainee through to leadership roles.
  • Clerical and administration stream employees.
  • Technical stream employees, from trainee through to telecommunications associate.
  • Labour hire employees while performing covered telecommunications work for a host business.
  • Apprentices and trainees hosted through group training services into covered telecommunications work.

A familiar job title is only a starting point. Match the employee's real duties against the classification definitions and keep a written record of the level selected.

03Rules employers need to check

Confirm coverage before payroll is set up

Clause 4 coverage, Clause 12 classifications, Schedule A classifications

Coverage depends on both the business activity and a matching classification, not on the industry label alone. This is the first issue to get right.

  • Check the employer's principal function before assuming the award applies.
  • Then check that the employee's work fits a customer contact, clerical and administration, or technical classification.
  • If another award classification is more appropriate to the work and the environment in which it is performed, use that award instead.

Set the engagement type correctly

Clauses 8 to 12

The engagement type changes how hours, overtime and minimum payments work. Record it clearly at the start of employment.

  • Tell the employee whether they are full-time, part-time or casual.
  • For part-time employees, use a regular pattern of hours and keep the arrangement recorded.
  • Casual employees have a minimum engagement and a separate casual loading.

Use the roster rules rather than assumptions

Clause 13 ordinary hours and rostering, Clause 14 breaks

The award gives several ways to arrange ordinary hours, but they are not interchangeable. Rosters should be built against the award wording, not custom practice.

  • Ordinary hours are averaged over the award work cycle and there are limits on daily hours unless the award flexibility mechanisms are used.
  • There are specific rules for day work, notice of roster changes and day work flexibility arrangements.
  • Breaks and any altered roster arrangements should be checked before they are rolled out.

Review allowances separately from base pay

Clause 18 allowances

Allowance errors are common because they are treated as optional or are bundled into a flat rate without checking the award.

  • Allowances must be identified and paid separately where they apply.
  • The award includes first aid, vehicle, telephone, meal and technical stream leading hand style allowances.
  • Some technical stream allowances are paid for all purposes, which affects later calculations.

Use flexibility and salary arrangements carefully

Clause 3 NES and award, Clause 5 flexibility arrangements, Clause 17 annualised wage arrangements

Any simplified pay arrangement has to sit on top of the award, not displace it informally. Keep the NES and award mechanics in view.

  • The award does not replace the NES.
  • If you use an individual flexibility arrangement or annualised wage arrangement, the award conditions for doing so still need to be met.
  • A flat salary is not a shortcut around classification, hours, overtime and allowance obligations.

Check overlap with other awards

Clause 4.6 overlap rule

Overlap issues are built into this award. They need to be tested role by role where the business has mixed operations or mixed functions.

  • If the employer is covered by more than one award, use the classification that is most appropriate to the work performed and the environment in which it is normally performed.
  • Do not assume a whole business sits under one award if different groups do materially different work.

04Pay rates, penalties and allowances

The safest way to check a current rate is to start with the employee's classification, employment type and working pattern, then use Fair Work's current pay guide or Pay and Conditions Tool. Rates can change after an Annual Wage Review or an award variation.

Open the official pay guideFair Work OmbudsmanCalculate pay and conditionsFair Work Pay and Conditions Tool

05Common workplace examples

Call centre staff working for a carriage service provider

Likely yes. A business whose principal function is acting as a carriage service provider can fall within the telecommunications services industry, and customer contact classifications are expressly built into the award.

Business that manufactures and supplies telecommunications equipment

Likely no under this award. A business whose principal function is manufacturing and supplying telecommunications equipment and lines is excluded, even if it also installs and monitors that equipment.

Contractor that installs or services lines for others

Usually no, unless the contractor also operates the equipment and lines. Pure installation, service or maintenance businesses are excluded by the coverage clause.

06Recent changes to this award

PR799280, PR799321, PR799478

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, 18 - Allowances, Schedule B - Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay, Schedule C - Summary of Monetary allowances, Schedule E - Supported Wage System

07What to do next

  1. 01List each role and decide whether it is customer contact, clerical and administration, technical, or outside this award.
  2. 02Check whether the business is really operating telecommunications services or is instead manufacturing, installing or maintaining equipment under another award setting.
  3. 03Issue written confirmation of each employee's engagement type and classification.
  4. 04Audit rosters, notice practices and break arrangements against the award before changing trading hours or support coverage.
  5. 05Review allowances and any salaried arrangements separately instead of assuming the base salary absorbs them.
  6. 06For labour hire and group training arrangements, confirm the host work is covered before applying the award.

08Common questions

Does this award cover every business connected to telecoms?

No. The business must fit the award's telecommunications services definition and the employee must perform work in a classification covered by the award. If the business is really manufacturing equipment, pure installation or maintenance, broadcasting, or covered by another instrument, this award may not apply.

How do I choose the right classification?

The award uses three main streams: customer contact, clerical and administration, and technical. You need to match the employee's actual duties to the Schedule A definitions, not just use a job title.

Can an installation contractor rely on this award?

Usually no. A business whose principal function is installation, service or maintenance of telecommunications equipment and lines is excluded unless it also operates that equipment and lines.

Do the NES and enterprise instruments still matter?

Yes. The NES still apply. The award works with the NES, and enterprise awards, enterprise instruments and some state public sector awards can displace this award for particular employees.

What about labour hire staff?

Only if the labour hire employee is performing covered telecommunications work for a business in the telecommunications services industry, and no exclusion applies.

Official sources and related help

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Modern award coverage and classification depend on the facts. Check the current official award and get advice for your business before relying on this page.

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