As a new graduate nurse or midwife, it’s important you are aware of your pay and basic entitlements*.
These are outlined in your enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) which can be downloaded from the member portal.
It’s important that you check your payslip to ensure you’re receiving the correct rates of pay and entitlements.
If you’re working in a smaller workplace – such as GP medical and specialist clinics, small day procedure and endoscopy centres – you’re likely to be covered by the federal Nurses Award 2020, which only outlines the legal minimum rates of pay – meaning any pay rise (including when and how much) is up to your employer.
Pay grades
Under your applicable enterprise agreement (EBA) you’ll likely be classified as:
- RN/M1 (known under the old grades as Grade 2 Year 1 or commonly in the general public sector by the pay code YP2 or YS12 for midwives)
- RPN 2 Year 1 (public sector mental health)
- Grade 2 Year 1 (major private sector)
- EN Level 2.3 (public and some private acute ENs)
- PEN Level 1.7 (public mental health ENs).
Pay rates
You can find your wages and allowances, including all scheduled pay rises near the back of your EBA. NB: pay rises are paid the first full pay period on or after (FFPOOA) the date specified.
Public sector nurses and midwives
- EN 2.3 $38.14
- RN/RM G2 Y1 $42.61
Public sector mental health
- RPN 2 Year 1 $42.61
Epworth
- EN G1 $37.71
- RN/RM G2 Y1 Grad $43.39
Healthscope
- EN L2 Dip 2.3 $38.20
- RN/RM G2 Y1 Grad $41.90
Ramsay
- EN Y1 $36.13
- RN/RM G2 Y1 Grad $41.34
St John of God
- EN 2.3 $36.51
- RN/RM G2 Y1 Grad $43.12
St Vincent’s Private
- EN L2 Dip 2.3 $39.05
- RN/RM G2 Y1 Grad $43.03
Cabrini
- EN L2 Dip 2.3 $36.34 ($38.54 from 1 November)
- RN/RM 2.1 Grad $38.73 ($42.61 from 1 November)
Do I have a ‘probationary period’ in my graduate year?
Most employees are required to complete the minimum six-month period of employment before they are eligible to make an application to the Fair Work Commission for unfair dismissal.
Graduate nurses and midwives asked to attend a disciplinary or performance management meeting should contact member assistance for advice.
I’ve just graduated as a registered nurse. Is my previous experience as an enrolled nurse taken into account?
If you were employed as an enrolled nurse immediately before starting your graduate year, you may be entitled to a different pay rate.
The public sector agreements and some private hospitals ensure that enrolled nurses who commence their graduate year will progress to the Grade 2 increment immediately above the rate of pay they received as an enrolled nurse.
The ANMF has put this in place in order to make sure that graduate nurses and midwives do not face a wage cut once they start their graduate nurse year.
Qualifications allowance
If you hold a post-registration or postgraduate qualification in nursing and/or midwifery you may be eligible for payment of an allowance that reflects the extra knowledge you bring to your role.
I have just graduated as a RN/RM – am I eligible for the qualification allowance for my dual registration?
The Nursing & Midwifery Public Sector EBA (2024 -2028) requires dual registered entry level grads to complete one year of service, after completing their degree, before becoming eligible for a qualification allowance.
After 12 months of continuous service, you will need to be proactive and provide evidence to your employer (normally HR/People & Culture) that you have both qualifications for your role, and you would like to apply for the qualification allowance. Evidence would be your certificate of completion for your Bachelor of Nursing & Bachelor of Midwifery and both your AHPRA numbers.
Shift allowances
Depending on when your shift commences or finishes (as defined in your EBA), you are also entitled to a shift allowance paid per shift.
For example, in the public sector EBAs (clauses 34 (general) and 119 (mental health)):
- morning shift: any shift starting between 6pm and 6.30am
- afternoon shift: any shift finishing between 6pm and 8am
- night shift: any shift finishing on the day after commencing duty or commences after midnight and before 5am
- Sunday night shift: starting on Sunday and finishing on Monday (part- and full-timers only)
For private acute, check your EBA for the shift definitions.
Public sector nurses and midwives
- Morning and afternoon $36.60
- Night
- Mon-Thu $114
- Fri-Sat $126.60
- Sun $196.10
Public sector mental health
- Morning and afternoon $40.80
- Night
- Mon-Thu $97.30
- Fri-Sat $97.30
- Sun $171.80
Cabrini
- Early and Late $34.77 RN/ $31.31 EN
- Night $89.50
Epworth
- Morning and afternoon $35.02
- Night $110.25
Healthscope
- Morning and afternoon $32.10
- Night
- Mon-Sat $94.32
- Sun $106.11
Ramsay
- Morning and afternoon $33.47
- Night
- Mon-Sat $94.31
- Sun $103.75
St John of God
- Morning and afternoon $40.96
- Night $117.41
St Vincent’s Private
- Morning and afternoon $37.90
- Night $106.75
Overtime payments
Generally, full- and part-time employees are entitled to payment for overtime if:
- in the public sector, you work beyond your rostered shift length, are recalled to work, or you work more than 76 hours in a fortnightly pay period.
- in the private sector, you work more than full-time hours. ‘Full-time hours’ means the hours a full-time nurse/midwife employee works – usually 7.6 hours on a day shift or 10 hours on a night shift, or where you work more than 76 hours in a fortnightly pay period.
Overtime rates are generally:
- Monday to Friday – 1.5 times your ordinary hourly rate of pay (also known as ‘time and a half’) for the first two hours; 2 times your ordinary rate of pay (also known as double time) for each continuous hour thereafter.
- Saturday/Sunday – all overtime is paid at 2 times your ordinary hourly rate of pay.
- public holidays – overtime is paid according to weekday or weekend overtime rate.
The ANMF advises all nurses and midwives to claim the overtime they work. You cannot be forced to take time in lieu instead, but you can choose to take time in lieu within 28 days.
If you don’t, you must be paid for your overtime in your next pay.
Public holidays
Public holidays include: Australia Day, Labour Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Queen’s Birthday, Grand Final Eve, Melbourne Cup Day (or another day in lieu in some regional areas), Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
If you work on any of these days you are entitled to be paid at double time, or if the public holiday falls on a weekend, double time and a half. For weekend employees, where these holidays fall on a weekend, the original day remains the public holiday even if the government declares another day to be the public holiday.
If you are full-time and a public holiday falls on your normal day off, you are also entitled to an additional day’s pay. This is normally pro rata for part-time nurses and midwives.
