Overtime and penalty rates explained
Work a Sunday or a public holiday and your pay can jump sharply. Here is how overtime and penalty rates work, and why the tax on them is not as scary as it looks.
If you are paid by the hour, overtime and penalty rates can make a big difference to your pay — but they vary by award and are easy to misread. Here is how they work.
Overtime rates
Overtime is paid at a higher multiple of your base rate for hours beyond your ordinary hours. A common structure is time-and-a-half (1.5×) for the first few overtime hours and double time (2×) after that. So an extra hour at a $35 base rate pays $52.50 at time-and-a-half.
Penalty rates
Penalty rates apply to hours worked at less sociable times — evenings, weekends and public holidays. Typical examples are 1.5× on Saturdays, 2× on Sundays and 2.5× on public holidays, though the exact rates depend on your award or enterprise agreement.
Worked example
Olivia earns a $35 base rate. In one week she works 38 ordinary hours ($1,330), plus 4 hours of Saturday work at time-and-a-half (4 × $52.50 = $210). Her gross for the week is $1,540 — the penalty hours added $210 for what would otherwise have been $140 of ordinary pay.
Casual loading
Casuals usually get a 25% loading on top of the base rate to compensate for having no paid leave. How that loading interacts with penalty rates varies by award — sometimes penalties apply on top of the loaded rate, sometimes differently — so check your specific award.
Calculate your overtime pay
Add your hours at each rate to see your total gross pay.
This is general information, not personal advice — award rates vary. Check the Fair Work Ombudsman or your award for the exact rates that apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
How is overtime pay calculated?
It is your base hourly rate multiplied by a penalty rate for the extra hours — commonly time-and-a-half (1.5x) for the first overtime hours and double time (2x) after. Multiply the hours in each band by the rate and add them up.
What are typical penalty rates?
Common examples are 1.5x on Saturdays, 2x on Sundays and 2.5x on public holidays, but the exact rates depend on your award or enterprise agreement, so always check yours.
Does casual loading stack with penalty rates?
Usually the 25% casual loading is added to the base rate and penalties then apply, but how they combine varies by award. Some awards apply penalties on the loaded rate, others differently.
Is overtime taxed at a higher rate?
No. Overtime is taxed at your normal marginal rate. A big pay period can have more tax withheld because that week looks like a higher annual income, but it balances out when you lodge your return.