Equipment hire businesses rent goods including machinery, tools, furniture and electronics for limited periods of time to individual or business customers.

Award coverage for employees of equipment hire businesses depends on:

• the industry or industries their employer operates in
• the specific duties and qualifications of the employee and there being a classification that matches these.

Equipment hire businesses can be covered by more than one award.

Industry award coverage

Retail Award

The Retail Award covers equipment hire business employees working for employers in the general retail industry. This includes the hire of goods or services for personal, household or business consumption.

Employees covered by the Retail Award in equipment hire businesses can include drivers, sales assistants, warehouse or yard workers and those performing clerical duties.

Example

Phionna works for a glamping and party hire business. The business hires out tents, marquees, photo booths, party furniture, and linen for customers to use.

Phionna assists with processing hires, she receives and cleans equipment that is returned and occasionally drives equipment to customers’ locations. She is trained to erect marquees and tents.

Phionna is covered by the Retail Award.

Example

Gizmos Hire is a tool and cleaning equipment hire business. The business hires out small machinery including floor sanders, drills, pressure washers and carpet cleaners.

The business has hire consultants who perform the following roles:

• customer service
• yard workers who clean and check over hired equipment, and put it away as it’s collected and dropped off
• drivers who collect and drop off hired equipment for customers
• administrative staff who work in the onsite office.

All employees are covered by the Retail Award.

Other industry awards

The Retail Award will cover most equipment hire businesses. To work out whether another industry award covers you, you may wish to contact us on your own situation.

No industry award coverage

When there’s no industry award covering the employee of an equipment hire business, the employee might be:

• covered by an occupational award
• covered by the Miscellaneous Award, or
• award free.

Occupational award coverage

Clerks Award

The Clerks Award can provide coverage if an employee’s role is mainly clerical or administrative and they don’t work at a retail establishment.

Manufacturing Award

Trade-qualified employees doing repair and maintenance work can be covered by the Manufacturing Award on an occupational basis.

Example

Sheridan is a mechanic who works for a business that hires out outdoor maintenance equipment including lawn mowers, chainsaws, brush-cutters and mulchers.

The business is covered by the Retail Award.

There’s no classification in the Retail Award covering the work that Sheridan does.

Sheridan is covered by the Manufacturing Award on an occupational basis.

Miscellaneous Award coverage

The Miscellaneous Award can cover an employee of an equipment hire business if:

• they aren’t covered by an industry or occupational award
• they’re not a managerial or professional employee.

Under the Miscellaneous Award, an employee may be considered a professional employee if their role requires a degree qualification, for example, a bachelor of accounting.

They’ll be classified based on their duties and qualifications.

Award free

Equipment hire employees who aren’t covered by an industry or occupational award or the Miscellaneous Award are award free.

They’re entitled to the national minimum wage and the National Employment Standards.