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Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 (MA000118)

Updated

This article provides guidelines about when to use the different work types and tags that are included as part of the pre-built Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 [MA000018] package. For further information about the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020, refer to: Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award.

Key updates

  Select the current financial year tab to see award updates for the 2026/27 financial year, while all previous updates before this time you can find in the historical financial years tab.

Current financial yearHistorical financial years
August 2026

12th

We have updated the On Call Duty Allowance for Veterinary Surgeon to align with the Award pay guide.

July 2026

1st

We have updated the award to reflect the Fair Work Commission's National Minimum Wage increase detailed in the Annual Wage Review 2026 decision, and also includes updates to expense-related allowances. You can find more information on the Determinations here and here.

These changes come into effect from the first full pay period on or after the 1st July 2026. Please install these updates after you have finalised your last pay run before the first full pay period beginning on or after the 1st July 2026.

Install the pre-built award package

To read details on how to install and configure this Pre-built Award Template, please review the following article. Before using the award information, users should carefully check its accuracy, currentness, completeness, and usefulness for their needs. You should also obtain appropriate professional advice.

The award default Rule Set Period is set to Fortnightly for Veterinary Surgeons rule set, and Four Weekly for Not Veterinary Surgeons rule set. If you follow a different work pattern or roster period, you can review and set the rule-set period date that applies to your organisation. 

Conditions of pay

Ordinary hours of work and overtime
  Clause Conditions
Ordinary hours of work 13.2 (a) Other than veterinary surgeons
Day worker
Monday -Sunday: between 6.00 am and 9.00 pm
Maximum hours per day 13.1 (b)
20.1 (a) (ii)

Other than veterinary surgeons

Day worker
The maximum length of the ordinary hours for any one shift must not exceed 10 hours not including meal breaks.

Shift Worker:

The maximum length of ordinary hours for any one shift must not exceed 8 hours, or 10 hours by agreement (excluding meal breaks).
Maximum hours over a period 9
13.1 (a)

Average of 38 ordinary hours per week.

Alternative work pattern:

  • 76 per fortnight
  • 114 per three week period
  • 152 per four week period
Overtime 20.1 (b)
20.2 (a)

Other than veterinary surgeons

  • Monday to Saturday first 3 hours: 50% penalty
  • Monday to Saturday after 3 hours: 100% penalty
  • Sunday: 100% penalty
  • In calculating overtime, each day’s work stands alone.

Veterinary surgeons

Time worked in addition to 38 hours per week, except when the associate is on-call will be paid at the employee’s ordinary time rate
TIL 20.2 (a) (ii)
20.3 (d)		 Granting time off instead of payment on an hour for hour basis, if agreed by the associate.
The period of time off that an employee is entitled to take is the same as the number of overtime hours worked.
Penalties
  Clause Conditions
Shiftwork 21.2 (a)
21.2 (b)
21.2 (c)

Other than veterinary surgeons

Shift Worker

  • For a shift finishing after 8.00 pm: 15% penalty
  • For a shift where the majority of hours on the shift occur between the hours of midnight and 8.00 am: 30% penalty
  • For a shift commencing at or before 6.30 am: 15% penalty
Weekends 21.1
21.3

Other than veterinary surgeons

Day Worker

  • Saturday first 3 hours (after 1 pm): 50% penalty
  • Saturday after 3 hours: 100% penalty
  • Sunday: 100% penalty
  • Shift Worker

Where the major portion of a rostered shift falls on a:

  • Saturday: 50% penalty
  • Sunday: 100% penalty
Public Holidays 21.1
21.3 (c)
27.2 (a) (i)
27.3 (a) (ii)
27.3 (b)
27.4 (b)
27.4 (f)

Other than veterinary surgeons

Day Worker: 150% penalty

Shift Worker: 

Where the major portion of a rostered shift falls on a public holiday: 150% penalty

Veterinary surgeons

Public Holiday worked: 100% penalty
Christmas day falling on a Saturday or Sunday: 100% penalty plus a loading of 50% (of the ordinary time rate) and be entitled to the benefit of a substitute day.

Associates who normally work on weekends will not be disadvantaged if a prescribed public holiday falls on a day when they would not be working. The appropriate compensation is:

Full time

  • an additional one day of annual leave; or
  • an additional day’s wages.

Part-day public holidays

If a public holiday is a part-day public holiday, then clause 27.4 applies on a pro-rata basis for the number of ordinary hours on the part-day public holiday.
Work Conditions
  Clause Conditions
Auto meal breaks 14.1 An unpaid meal break of not less than 30 minutes must be allowed to each employee between the fourth and fifth hour of work.
Annual Leave Loading 22.3 (b) (i)

Day worker

Employees who would have worked on day work only had they not been on leave—17.5% or the relevant weekend penalty rates, whichever is the greater but not both.

Other than veterinary surgeons

Shift worker

Employees who would have worked on shiftwork had they not been on leave—a loading of 17.5% or the shift loading (including relevant weekend penalty rates) whichever is the greater, but not both.
Higher Duties 15.7 (a) (i)
15.7 (b)

Other than veterinary surgeons

An employee engaged for a day or shift on duties for which a higher rate than their ordinary classification is paid must be paid the higher rate for that day or shift.

Veterinary surgeons

An associate who is required to perform duties at a higher classification level for a temporary period of more than 2 weeks must be paid the higher salary for the period during which those duties are performed.
Make up time 13.4 An employee may elect, with the consent of the employer, to work make-up time where the employee takes time off during ordinary hours, and works those hours at a later time during the spread of ordinary hours provided in this award.
Minimum shift engagement 11.4 Casual employees are entitled to a minimum payment of 3 hours’ work at the appropriate rate.
Minimum shift engagement - agreed to work less than 3 hours 11.5

Minimum engagement of 2.5 hours will be paid to an employee if ALL of the following applies:

  • the employee is a full-time secondary school student; and
  • the employee is engaged to work between the hours of 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm on a day which they are required to attend school; and
  • the employee agrees to work, and a parent or guardian of the employee agrees to allow the employee to work, a shorter period than 3 hours; and
  • employment for a longer period than the period of the engagement is not possible either because of the operational requirements of the employer or the unavailability of the employee
Minimum shift engagement - public holiday 21.1
27.2 (a)

Other than veterinary surgeons

Work on public holiday is subject to a minimum engagement of 4 hours
Minimum shift engagement - Return to duty 20.1 (e)(ii)

Other than veterinary surgeons

Where an employee is required to return to duty after the usual finishing hour of work for that day, the employee must receive a minimum payment as for 3 hours’ work
Minimum shift engagement - Sunday Overtime 20.1 (b)(ii)
20.1 (c)(ii)

Other than veterinary surgeons

Minimum payment of 3 hours provided the employee is ready willing and available to work such overtime
Return to duty 20.1 (e)(ii)

Other than veterinary surgeons

Where an employee is required to return to duty after the usual finishing hour of work for that day, the employee must be paid at the appropriate overtime rate
Travelling time 13.3 (a)

Veterinary surgeons

Time taken for travel required in the performance of duties, except for active on-call duty, will contribute to hours of work. Performance of duties Includes travel additional to one return trip between the associate’s place of residence and the place of work in any one day and travel between different locations of a practice
Transfer to or from shiftwork 21.4

Other than veterinary surgeons

An employee may be transferred to or from shiftwork on 14 days’ notice provided the employee has at least 10 hours off duty before commencing shiftwork. If 14 days’ notice is not given the employee will be paid overtime rates in accordance with clause 20.1 for all work done outside previous ordinary working hours within 14 days of the time of notification of the change

Special notes

Schedule A—Classification Definitions
The platform does not automatically progress employees to Level 1 after a period not exceeding 3 months at introductory level. You will need to manually update each employee's profile.
On-call allowance
Employer is to use tags for employees receiving on-call allowance depending on agreed on-call remuneration.
Surplus meals
Employees are to use work type for surplus meals they have provided on the basis that they have been given notice to work overtime and the employee is then not required to work overtime or is required to work less than the amount advised.
Clauses that can be customised for the award

The following table consists of the clauses that can be customised for the award.

Supported wage system 15.5 For employees who, because of the effects of a disability, are eligible for a supported wage, see Schedule D—Supported Wage System
National training wage 15.6(a) Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 sets out minimum wage rates and conditions for employees undertaking traineeships.
Substitution of public holidays by agreement 27.2
  • Work on a substituted day must be paid for at 250% of the minimum hourly rate
  • Where both a public holiday and substitute day or part-day are worked, public holiday penalties are payable on one of those days at the election of the employee.

Work types

Work types are a description of the kind of shift you are working, and you select them when you record a timesheet. The following is a list of work types employees can select on their timesheet, and the meaning of each item.

A - F
Annual leave taken Use this work type to represent any annual leave to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
Called to work while on call Use this work type if you are on call and are required to come in to work.
Compassionate leave taken Use this work type to represent any compassionate leave to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
G - L
Hours worked Use this work type for hours spent at work unless another work type is more specific.
Kilometres travelled in a car Use this work type to enter the number of business kilometres travelled using your car. 1 unit equates to 1 kilometre.
Kilometres travelled on a motorcycle Use this work type to enter the number of business kilometres travelled using your motorcycle. 1 unit equates to 1 kilometre.
Leave without pay Use this work type to represent any leave without pay to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
Long service leave taken Use this work type to represent any long service leave to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
M - R
Make Up Time Use this work type to represent shifts that you elect as make-up time.
No minimum shift engagement Use this work type to bypass the standard minimum shift engagement rules.
On-call duty Use this work type to represent shifts where you are on-call.
On-call duty on unrostered day Use this work type to represent shifts where you are on-call, specifically on a day you were not rostered to be
Paid community service leave taken Use this work type to represent any paid community service leave to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
Personal/Carer's leave taken  Use this work type to represent any personal or carer's leave to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
Public holiday - additional day of annual leave Use this work type if you are working on a public holiday and will receive an additional day of annual leave in lieu of the penalty rate.
Public holiday not worked Use this work type if you've had time off on a public holiday (only applicable to permanent employees).
Recalled to work Use this work type if you are called back to work after you have left on your normal finish time.
S - Z
Study leave taken Use this work type to represent any paid study leave to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
TIL for extra day worked (veterinary surgeons only) Use this work type to receive TIL for an extra day worked on a week.
Time in lieu leave taken Use this work type to represent any accumulated time in lieu to be taken. This will also be automatically applied when turning a leave request into a timesheet.
Transfer to or from shiftwork Use this work type to represent transfer to or from shiftwork
Travel time (veterinary surgeons only) Use this work type to represent the travel time involved in completing work-related travel.

Shift conditions

Shift Conditions are further details you can add to a shift where more than one condition applies to your shift. These are selected when you edit a timesheet record. The following is a list of Shift Conditions employees can select on their timesheet, and the meaning of each item.

M - R
Meal provided / notice of OT given 24 hours prior Select this shift condition when an employee has worked overtime and either received a meal from the employer or was provided at least 24 hours notice that overtime was required.
No minimum shift engagement Select this shift condition to bypass the standard minimum shift engagement rules.

Tags

Employee Tags are specific conditions typically related to the employee’s agreement. These are often conditions negotiated and agreed between the employer and the employee, or unique characteristics of the employee’s role. Payment of these provisions is usually of a recurring and ongoing nature.

A - E
10 hour shift arrangement Choose this tag for non–Veterinary Surgeon shiftworkers, who have an agreement to work up to 10 ordinary hours per shift before overtime applies.
Annual allowance instead of OT Choose this tag if the employee is a Veterinary Surgeon and will be paid an annual allowance instead of being paid for working overtime.
Annual allowance instead of on-call allowance Choose this tag if the employee is a Veterinary Surgeon and will be paid an annual allowance instead of being paid for working on-call shifts.
Agreed TIL instead of payment for active on-call Choose this tag if the employee is a Veterinary Surgeon and will receive TIL instead of payment for working while on-call.
F - L
First aid Choose this tag if an employee other than a Veterinary Surgeon has an appropriate first aid qualification and is required to perform first aid duties.
M - R
Required to wear a uniform Choose this tag if the employee is required to wear a uniform.
S - Z
Shiftworker Choose this tag if the employee is a shiftworker.
TIL of OT Choose this tag if the employee is working time in lieu instead of working overtime.

System limitations

Please note that rules will not be able to interpret or calculate the below clauses due to platform limitations and will require manual intervention. 

Clause 15.7(a)(ii) Higher Duties

System will not allow employees to select lower classifications

Any employee who is required to temporarily perform work for which a lower rate is paid for must not suffer any reduction in wages. An employee may be required to temporarily perform work at a lower classification for a period of less than one week.
Clause 20.2(b) Veterinary surgeons

System cannot calculate over a calendar year the extra hours that would have been payable as overtime

An allowance instead of some or all of the amounts otherwise payable under clause 20.2(a) may be paid where the associate and employer reach agreement. The allowance and any other payments for extra hours are not to be less than would otherwise have been payable under clause 20.2(a) calculated over a calendar year.
Clause 20.3(f) & 20.3(g) Time off instead of payment for overtime

Manual intervention is required for any alternative arrangement for Time in Lieu accrued

  • If the employee requests at any time, to be paid for overtime covered by an agreement under clause 20.3 but not taken as time off, the employer must pay the employee for the overtime, in the next pay period following the request, at the overtime rate applicable to the overtime when worked.
  • If time off for overtime that has been worked is not taken within the period of 6 months mentioned in clause 20.3(e), the employer must pay the employee for the overtime, in the next pay period following those 6 months, at the overtime rate applicable to the overtime when worked.
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