Amusement & Events Award, explained for shift work.
Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020 · Reviewed July 2026 by the MyGig compliance team
Amusement parks, events, exhibitions, festivals, and recreation and leisure services: the award behind much of the event-day casual workforce.
Penalties and loadings to know
- Casual loading of 25% on the ordinary hourly rate
- Weekend and public holiday penalties: most event work lands on them, so loaded rates are the norm
- Overtime provisions after ordinary hours
Roles typically covered
Casual hourly rates under the Amusement & Events Award
| Classification | Casual $/hr |
|---|---|
| Introductory | $32.18 |
| Grade 1 | $33.05 |
| Grade 2 | $33.85 |
| Grade 3 | $34.96 |
| Grade 4 | $36.81 |
| Grade 5 | $37.98 |
| Grade 6 | $39.11 |
| Grade 7 | $40.16 |
| Grade 8 | $42.21 |
| Grade 9 | $46.74 |
| Grade 10 | $49.70 |
Adult casual hourly rates including the 25% casual loading, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, covering all 11 casual classifications in MyGig's award engine. Source: MyGig award engine, built from Fair Work Commission pay guides. Penalties, overtime, and allowances apply on top per the award.
Free download:the 2026 Casual Rates Card puts every award’s entry casual rate on one printable sheet.
Get the rates cardCurrent minimum rates
Entry-level adult casual: $33.05/hr as at 1 July 2026, from MyGig's award engine (the same data that prices every shift). Award rates change with every annual wage review (first full pay period on or after 1 July). For the full classification tables, use the official pay guide, or let MyGig apply them for you: every shift estimate uses current rates, penalties included, clause cited.
Amusement & Events Award FAQs
Which award covers event bar staff?
It depends on the operator: bar service run by a hospitality/catering business typically sits under the Hospitality Award, while event operations staff (stewarding, ticketing, crew) sit under this award. MyGig maps each role to the right instrument.
Is weekend event work paid at penalty rates?
Generally yes: weekend and public holiday penalties apply per the award, which is why event-day shift totals on MyGig often sit well above base rates.
Where are current event-award rates?
In the official MA000080 pay guide linked on this page, refreshed each 1 July.
General information only, not legal advice. The award itself (Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020, MA000080) and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay tools are the authoritative sources: read the award. Back to all award guides or MyGig compliance & EOR.
Stop interpreting awards by hand.
MyGig employs your casual workers as EOR and applies this award automatically: rates, loadings, penalties, and super, with the clause cited.