Employees in meat processing establishments may be paid under an incentive payment system. This is also known as a piece rate.

Employees paid piece rates are paid by results instead of getting an hourly or weekly pay rate. This means the amount the employee earns each week will vary depending on how much work they do.

It’s up to each workplace to decide how they want to implement a piece rate.

Common piece rates in meat processing establishments include:

• pay rates per day or shift
• pay rate per kilogram of meat processed
• pay rate per head of cattle slaughtered.

Ordinary hours

For work during ordinary hours employees under an incentive payment system should get paid at least:

• daily hire employees – minimum hourly rate plus 20% incentive loading plus 10% daily hire loading
• casual employees – minimum hourly rate plus 20% incentive loading plus 25% casual loading
• full-time and part-time employees – minimum hourly rate plus 20% incentive loading.

The incentive, daily hire and casual loadings are all calculated on the minimum hourly rate.

Overtime and penalty rates

For overtime, weekend and public holiday work, employees under an incentive payment system are paid no less than employees paid by time worked.