Key Information– Crown Employees (Department of Education) Cleaning Award 2026

The below information provides details on the key entitlements available to employees covered by the Crown Employees (Department of Education) Cleaning Award 2026 (Award). The information is a summary only and does not cover all conditions that apply to cleaners.

Types of Employment

Full-Time Cleaners

• Work 38 ordinary hours per week, usually 8 hours per day.
• 24 minutes (0.4 hours) from each 8-hour day accrues towards a Rostered Day Off (RDO).
• Entitled to 13 RDOs per year.
• RDOs for cleaners in schools or TAFE are:
  • taken during school vacation periods,
  • arranged in consultation with employees and the Union at the start of each year, and
  • calculated on a pro-rata basis if employment starts partway through the school year.
• Can work shifts where different start and finish times and penalty rates apply.

Part-Time Cleaners

• Work less than 38 ordinary hours per week.
• Receive a 15% allowance on top of their ordinary hourly rate. This allows them to work up to 7.6 hours per day, 5 days per week (38 hours per week) without payment for overtime.
• Entitled to the same conditions as full-time cleaners (including RDOs) but on a pro-rata basis.
• Can work shifts where different start and finish times and penalty rates apply.

Casual Cleaners

• Work when needed, with irregular or changing hours.
• Receive an extra 25% loading on top of their hourly rate of pay instead of some leave and other benefits.
• Do not accrue RDOs.
• Can work shifts and receive penalties rates.

Breaks

• All cleaners are entitled to meal breaks and short rest breaks.
• Breaks may be paid or unpaid, depending on work patterns.
• Cleaners should not work more than 4.5 hours (or 5 hours in an emergency) without a meal break.

Pay, Allowances, and Overtime

Getting Paid:

• Current base rate of pay is $27.15 per hour for all cleaners, not including part-time and casual loadings.
• This rate of pay will increase to $27.96 per hour from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.
• You will also receive 12% superannuation contributions in addition to your ordinary pay (includes loadings but not overtime).
• You will be paid every two weeks (fortnightly) into your nominated bank account by direct deposit.

Allowances:

Cleaners may receive extra pay (allowances) in addition to their ordinary wages to cover specific duties, working conditions, or job-related costs. The allowances available to cleaners under the Award are:

• Broken Shift Allowance: this allowance is paid if you work in two separate time blocks during a day (for example, from 6am to 10am then from 2pm to 6pm).
• First Aid Allowance: this is paid only if you have first aid qualifications and are officially asked to provide first aid.
• Leading Hand Allowance: this allowance is paid per week if you are placed in charge of other cleaners. The rate of pay is dependent on the number of employees you oversee and is paid when taking annual leave. This would involve tasks such as providing guidance and support to other staff or to adjust the cleaning schedule if required.
• Meal Allowance: if asked to work at least two extra hours unexpectedly, without being advised the previous day, you will be paid a meal allowance or supplied with a meal.
• Vehicle Allowance: if asked to use your own car for work, you will be paid this allowance for travel.
• Early Morning or Late-Night Shifts Allowance:
  • Cleaners who work early or late shifts are paid a higher rate to recognise these hours. 
  • An early morning shift is any Monday to Friday shift that starts before 6.00am or finishes after 6.00pm, excluding public holidays. 
  • Full-time cleaners are paid $31.22 per hour (115% of the base rate), part-time cleaners are paid $35.30 per hour (130%), and casual cleaners are paid $38.01 per hour (140%).

Overtime:

• All time worked above 8 hours per day or 40 hours in any week by a full-time cleaner is overtime.
• All time worked above 7.6 hours per day or 38 hours in any week by a part-time or casual cleaner is overtime.
• Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the base rate of pay for the first 2 hours, then 2 times the base rate beyond 2 hours.
• Overtime and penalty rates apply if you are recalled to work, work on weekends and public holidays.

Leave Entitlements

Recreational Leave (Annual Leave):

• All full-time cleaners receive 20 days paid recreational leave each year and 17.5% annual leave loading. Part-time cleaners receive a proportionate number of paid annual leave days based on the number of hours worked.
• Shift workers who work 32 or more ordinary shifts on Sunday and/or public holidays during the calendar year are entitled to an extra week of recreational leave.
• Casual cleaners are not entitled to recreational leave and instead receive a casual loading.

Sick Leave / Carer’s Leave:

• At commencement of employment a full-time cleaner is granted 5 days sick leave.
• After the first 4 months of employment, sick leave will accrue at a rate of 10 days per year.
• Following the first year, full-time cleaners accrue 15 days of paid sick leave each year.
• Part-time cleaners accrue on a pro-rata basis based on the number of hours worked.
• Can be used by cleaners for the purposes of caring for a family member as defined in the Award.

Parental Leave:

• Full-time and part-time cleaners expecting a baby, adopting, or becoming a parent by surrogacy or guardianship and have worked continuously for 40 weeks, can get up to 16 weeks paid parental leave.
• Additional access to unpaid parental leave for up to 12 months after the date of birth.

Family and Community Service Leave (FACS)

• Full-time and part-time cleaners have access to up to 2.5 days in the first year of service, 2.5 days in the second year of service and 1 day thereafter to FACS leave.
• This leave is used for emergencies, family illness, funerals, or other urgent family matters.

Domestic and Family Violence Leave:

• If you experience domestic or family violence, you can take up to 20 days of paid leave each year.
• Casual cleaners also have accessed to paid domestic and family violence leave.

Extended and Long Service Leave:

• Full-time and part-time cleaners employed by the department are entitled to take extended leave, that applies to government employees.
• Extended leave works in a similar way to Long Service Leave but can be accessed earlier and accrues at a quicker rate.
• Casual cleaners are not entitled to extended leave and will continue to accrue long service leave.

What happens to my long service leave when I leave my current contract cleaning job?

If you begin employment with the department within 2 months of finishing your previous contract cleaning job, the department will recognise your prior service and accrued long service leave in the contract cleaning job, to ensure that you are not disadvantaged. For example:

• A permanent worker with ten years’ service in the contract cleaning job will be recognised as having ten years’ service with the department. When they commence employment with the department, they will accrue extended leave, as if they have been employed by department for ten years.
• A casual worker with seven years’ service period in the contract cleaning job will be recognised as having seven years’ service with the department. They will continue to accrue long service leave as if they have been employed by the department for seven years.

If you wish to take extended leave after commencing employment with the department:

• Your prior service and accrued long service leave with the former employer, combined with your service with the department will be taken into account for calculating your extended leave entitlement.
• Your extended leave pay will be paid at the new salary rate you are being paid at the department.

What happens to my annual leave when I leave my current contract cleaning job?

When you finish employment, any unused annual leave you have accrued will be paid out as part of your final pay. Your final pay will also include annual leave loading if it would have been paid during employment and any wages owed to you for hours you have worked up to your last day, including any penalty rates and allowances that apply.

Your previous employer is responsible for making this payment in line with their usual payroll process. If you have any concerns about your final pay you will need to speak with your previous employer.

What happens to my personal/carer’s (sick) leave when I leave my current contract cleaning job?

Personal/carer’s leave, also known as sick leave, does not get paid out when your employment ends. This means any unused sick leave balance you have with your current employer will not be included in your final pay.

When you start employment with the Department, your sick leave will be provided in accordance with the Crown Employees (Department of Education) Cleaning Award 2026 (Award), and includes:

• at commencement 5 days sick leave for full-time cleaners;
• after the first 4 months of employment, sick leave will accrue at a rate of  10 days per year; and
• following the first year, full-time cleaners will accrue 15 days of sick leave each year.

Part-time cleaners will receive pro-rata entitlements based on their ordinary hours of work. Casual cleaners are not entitled to sick leave and instead receive a casual loading.
For more information on sick leave please refer to the Award or speak with your supervisor.

Where to Get More Information or Help

Full details about your Award, pay rates, allowances, and leave can be found in the Crown Employees (Department of Education) Cleaning Award 2026.

If you have difficulty understanding this information, you can ask for help or request a translated version in your preferred language. For a Translation and Interpreting Service call 131 450 and ask them to call the Department of Education – School Infrastructure on 1300 482 615.

Members of the United Workers Union can also contact the union for further information or support