Overtime Pay in QLD: Rates, Rules & Your Rights (2026)

Overtime pay in Queensland is governed by the same federal Fair Work framework as the rest of Australia, but Queensland has its own public holiday calendar — including a Labour Day that falls in May (not October like NSW), the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) for Brisbane workers, and a Christmas Eve part-day public holiday — that directly affects what you are owed when you work on those days.

Quick answer: Under most federal modern awards, overtime in QLD is paid at 150% for the first 2 hours on weekdays and Saturdays, 200% after that, 200% for all Sunday overtime, and 250% on public holidays. QLD-specific public holidays include Labour Day (first Monday in May), the Ekka (Wednesday in August, Brisbane only), and Christmas Eve (6pm–midnight).

Use the Dolaro Overtime Pay Calculator to calculate your exact gross pay including overtime at any rate multiplier.

How Overtime Works in Queensland

Almost all private sector workers in Queensland are covered by federal modern awards under the Fair Work Act 2009. Federal awards set the overtime rules — not separate Queensland state legislation — so the overtime framework for most QLD workers is identical to the national standard.

What makes Queensland different is:

Queensland's public holiday calendar — different dates for Labour Day, the Ekka, King's Birthday, and a part-day Christmas Eve holiday
Queensland's state industrial relations system — some Queensland workers (primarily state public servants and local government workers) are covered by Queensland state awards under the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld), not federal awards

For most private sector workers, your overtime entitlements come from your federal modern award. If you are a Queensland state public servant or local government employee, your entitlements are set by your state award or certified agreement under the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

If you are unsure which system covers you, use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Find My Award tool, or contact the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (1300 322 007) for state system queries.

Standard Overtime Rates in QLD (Federal Awards)

Under most federal modern awards, these are the overtime rates. Always verify against your specific award — rates vary by industry.

When overtime is worked	Rate	What you earn on $35/hr base
Monday–Saturday, first 2 hours of overtime	150% (time and a half)	$52.50/hr
Monday–Saturday, after 2 hours of overtime	200% (double time)	$70.00/hr
All overtime on Sunday	200% (double time)	$70.00/hr
All overtime on a public holiday	250% (double time and a half)	$87.50/hr

These rates are standard across most awards including the Clerks Private Sector Award, Building and Construction Award, Manufacturing and Associated Industries Award, and the Hospitality Industry Award (with some variations). The General Retail Industry Award has its own specific rate structure.

Saturday Overtime Rates in QLD

Saturday overtime under federal modern awards in Queensland follows the same national structure — 150% for the first 2 hours, 200% after that — when Saturday work is outside your ordinary spread of hours.

Important distinction:

Saturday is ordinary hours for some workers (retail, hospitality, healthcare) — in these industries, Saturday within the award span of ordinary hours is not automatically overtime. Overtime starts when you exceed the daily or weekly maximum.
Saturday is outside ordinary hours for many other workers (clerical, construction, professional services) — any Saturday work is overtime from the first minute.

QLD industry-specific Saturday guide:

Industry / Award	Saturday ordinary rate	Saturday overtime
Retail (General Retail Industry Award)	125% first 3 hrs, 150% after	150% first 2 hrs, 200% after
Hospitality (Hospitality Industry Award)	Within ordinary span — see award clause	150% first 2 hrs, 200% after
Clerical / admin (Clerks Private Sector Award)	Outside ordinary hours → overtime	150% first 2 hrs, 200% after
Construction (Building and Construction Award)	Outside ordinary hours → overtime	150% first 2 hrs, 200% after
Mining / resources (common in QLD)	Award-specific — check Black Coal, Pastoral, or Mining Awards	Varies

Queensland's significant mining, resources, and agriculture sectors have their own awards with specific Saturday and overtime provisions. If you work in these industries, check the Black Coal Mining Industry Award, Pastoral Award, or Mining Industry Award directly.

Sunday Overtime Rates in QLD

Under most federal modern awards, all Sunday overtime is paid at 200% (double time) from the first hour. There is no 2-hour step-up on Sunday — the double-time rate applies throughout.

Shift workers and Sunday starts:

If a shift begins on Saturday night and crosses midnight into Sunday, the Sunday rate (200%) applies from midnight. Workers cannot be paid the Saturday rate for the Sunday portion of the shift. Some awards allow employers and employees to agree to keep the higher 200% rate for the full overnight shift rather than reverting to Saturday overtime rates before midnight — check your award.

Public Holiday Pay in QLD

This is where Queensland diverges most significantly from other states. The 250% public holiday rate under most federal awards applies on the same days — but which days are public holidays differs from NSW, Victoria, and other states.

Queensland Public Holidays 2026

Date	Public Holiday	Notes
1 January	New Year's Day
26 January	Australia Day
3 April	Good Friday
4 April	The day after Good Friday	QLD calls it this — not "Easter Saturday"
5 April	Easter Sunday
6 April	Easter Monday
25 April	Anzac Day	Falls Saturday 2026 — no substitute Monday in QLD
4 May	Labour Day	First Monday in May — different from NSW (October) and VIC (March)
12 August	Royal Queensland Show (Ekka)	Brisbane area only — Wednesday
5 October	King's Birthday	Different from NSW (June) and WA (September)
24 December	Christmas Eve (part-day)	6pm to midnight only
25 December	Christmas Day
26 December	Boxing Day	Falls Saturday 2026
28 December	Additional public holiday for Boxing Day	Substitute Monday

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman, 2026 public holidays. Always verify current dates — Queensland can add or vary public holidays.

The QLD-Specific Public Holidays You Must Know

Labour Day — first Monday in May

This is the single biggest payroll trap for businesses operating across NSW and QLD. NSW Labour Day is in October; QLD Labour Day is in May. Workers in Queensland are entitled to the full public holiday rate (250% under most awards) on the first Monday in May. Employers who miss this — particularly those managing cross-state payrolls — face significant underpayment exposure.

Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) — Wednesday in August, Brisbane only

The Ekka public holiday applies to employers and employees in the Brisbane area only. The Fair Work Ombudsman defines the Brisbane area for this purpose as the Brisbane City Council area and specific adjoining areas — businesses in regional Queensland (Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Gold Coast) do not observe the Ekka as a public holiday unless they fall within the gazetted area. Workers in affected businesses who are required to work on Ekka Wednesday are entitled to the 250% public holiday rate under most awards.

The Ekka date changes each year (it is the Wednesday of the show week). For 2026, it falls on 12 August. Always confirm the current year's date via the Queensland Government website.

Christmas Eve (6pm to midnight)

Queensland has a part-day public holiday on Christmas Eve from 6pm to midnight. Workers who are rostered to work between 6pm and midnight on 24 December are entitled to the public holiday penalty rate (250% under most awards) for those hours. The hours before 6pm are ordinary time or overtime as normal. This applies state-wide — it is not a Brisbane-only holiday.

Anzac Day 2026 — Saturday, no substitute

Unlike some states, Queensland does not provide a substitute public holiday when Anzac Day falls on a weekend. In 2026, Anzac Day falls on Saturday 25 April. Saturday workers may still attract the Saturday penalty rate under their award, but it is not automatically the 250% public holiday rate — whether public holiday rates apply to a Saturday Anzac Day depends on the specific award and how it defines "public holidays."

King's Birthday — first Monday in October

Queensland's King's Birthday falls on the first Monday in October — the same date as NSW Labour Day. This creates another cross-state payroll complexity: on the first Monday in October, QLD workers are entitled to King's Birthday public holiday rates, while NSW workers are entitled to Labour Day public holiday rates.

Is Overtime Calculated Daily or Weekly in QLD?

The same federal award rules apply in Queensland as elsewhere. Whether overtime triggers daily or weekly depends entirely on your award:

Weekly trigger (most common): Overtime kicks in after 38 ordinary hours in the week (or the weekly maximum in your award). Common in clerical, retail, and many services awards.
Daily trigger: Overtime kicks in after the daily maximum (often 8 or 10 hours). Common in construction and some manual trades awards.
Both: Some awards use whichever trigger is reached first.

Queensland's resources and mining sector is worth noting specifically. Workers under the Black Coal Mining Industry Award or the Mining Industry Award often have shift-based arrangements where daily overtime thresholds and roster-specific rules apply. If you work in this sector, the award-specific clauses govern — not the generic national overtime structure.

Do Casual Employees Get Overtime in QLD?

Yes — casual employees in Queensland can be entitled to overtime under their award, subject to the same national rules as casual employees elsewhere. The 25% casual loading applies to ordinary hours. Overtime is typically calculated on the base rate (without casual loading), with the overtime rate applied to that base — though this varies by award.

Casual employees are also entitled to public holiday penalty rates if they work on a public holiday, under most federal awards. The public holiday rate for casuals is typically the base public holiday rate plus the casual loading, resulting in effective rates of 225–250%+ depending on the award.

TOIL in Queensland

Time off in lieu (TOIL) operates the same way in Queensland as nationally — it is an arrangement permitted under most federal awards where the employee takes equivalent time off instead of receiving cash overtime payment.

For TOIL to be valid under most federal awards:

It must be agreed in writing before the overtime is worked
The time off must be at the overtime rate (2 hours at 1.5× = 3 hours TOIL)
It must be taken within a specified period — typically 4–12 weeks depending on the award; unused TOIL is paid out at the overtime rate if not taken in time

Check your award's overtime clause to confirm whether TOIL is permitted and what the time limits are.

Overtime and Superannuation in QLD

Superannuation is not paid on overtime in Queensland (or anywhere else in Australia) under the default rules. The Superannuation Guarantee is calculated on Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE), which the ATO explicitly excludes overtime payments from.

Queensland's resources sector — where overtime is common and substantial — is particularly relevant here. An operator earning $80,000 base salary plus $20,000 in overtime has super calculated on $80,000 only, not $100,000. At 12% SG, that is $9,600 in super — not $12,000. The difference compounds significantly over a career.

If you are in a high-overtime role and want to boost your retirement savings, voluntary concessional contributions (salary sacrifice into super) are the primary mechanism — they are taxed at 15% within the fund and do not count as ordinary hours earnings in the same way.

Queensland State System Employees

Queensland has its own state industrial relations system for Queensland public servants and local government workers. These employees are covered by the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld) and their overtime entitlements come from Queensland state awards or certified agreements, not federal modern awards.

Queensland state system overtime provisions are broadly similar in structure to federal award rates but are set independently by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. Key state awards include the Queensland Public Service Award — State 2015 and various local government awards.

For Queensland state system employees, contact the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission at 1300 322 007 or visit the Office of Industrial Relations website.

How to Calculate Your Overtime Pay in QLD

Worked example — Ekka public holiday, Brisbane:

Base hourly rate: $30.00/hr
Hours worked: 6 hours on Ekka Wednesday
Award: Clerks Private Sector Award (250% public holiday rate)

6 hours × $30.00 × 2.5 = $450.00
Compare to a normal Wednesday: 6 hours × $30.00 = $180.00
Additional pay for working the Ekka: $270.00

Worked example — Saturday overtime in QLD:

Base hourly rate: $30.00/hr
Overtime worked: 4 hours on Saturday
Award: Clerks Private Sector Award

First 2 hours: $30.00 × 1.5 = $45.00/hr × 2 = $90.00
Next 2 hours: $30.00 × 2.0 = $60.00/hr × 2 = $120.00
Total Saturday overtime: $210.00

Worked example — QLD Labour Day (first Monday in May):

Base hourly rate: $30.00/hr
Hours worked: 8 hours
Award: Building and Construction Award (250% public holiday rate)

8 hours × $30.00 × 2.5 = $600.00

Use the Overtime Pay Calculator to run these calculations instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the overtime rate in QLD on Saturday?

Under most federal modern awards in Queensland, Saturday overtime is paid at 150% (time and a half) for the first 2 hours and 200% (double time) thereafter. This applies when Saturday is outside your ordinary span of hours. Some awards — including the General Retail Industry Award — have specific Saturday penalty rates for ordinary Saturday hours. Check your specific award.

What is the Sunday overtime rate in QLD?

Under most federal modern awards, all Sunday overtime in Queensland is paid at 200% (double time) from the first hour. There is no step-up for Sunday — the double-time rate applies throughout. If a shift crosses midnight from Saturday into Sunday, the Sunday rate applies from midnight.

When is Labour Day in Queensland?

Queensland Labour Day falls on the first Monday in May. In 2026, that is 4 May. This is different from NSW (first Monday in October) and Victoria (second Monday in March). Workers in Queensland are entitled to the public holiday penalty rate (250% under most federal awards) for any Labour Day work.

Do Brisbane workers get the Ekka day as a public holiday?

Yes — the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) is a public holiday for workers in the Brisbane area, typically falling on a Wednesday in August. In 2026 it falls on 12 August. Workers in the designated Brisbane area who are required to work on Ekka day are entitled to the 250% public holiday rate under most federal awards. Workers outside the Brisbane area — in Cairns, Townsville, the Gold Coast, and other regional centres — generally do not observe the Ekka as a public holiday.

Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in QLD?

Partly. Queensland has a part-day public holiday on Christmas Eve from 6pm to midnight. Workers rostered for hours between 6pm and midnight on 24 December are entitled to the public holiday rate under their award for those hours. Hours worked before 6pm are ordinary or overtime as normal.

Does Queensland observe a substitute Anzac Day when it falls on a weekend?

No. Queensland does not provide a substitute public holiday when Anzac Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday. In 2026, Anzac Day falls on Saturday 25 April. There is no substitute Monday in Queensland. Whether the 250% public holiday rate applies on the Saturday depends on how your specific award defines public holiday entitlements for weekend dates.

When is King's Birthday in QLD?

Queensland's King's Birthday falls on the first Monday in October — the same date as NSW Labour Day. In 2026, that is 5 October. This means on the first Monday in October, QLD workers are entitled to King's Birthday public holiday rates while NSW workers are entitled to Labour Day public holiday rates.

Is super paid on overtime in QLD?

No — not under the default rules. The Superannuation Guarantee is calculated on Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE), which excludes overtime pay. This applies in Queensland as it does nationally. Your employer's 12% SG obligation is calculated on your ordinary wage, not your total earnings including overtime. If your contract or enterprise agreement explicitly includes overtime in the super calculation, that obligation overrides the default.

This article is general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Overtime entitlements depend on your specific award, enterprise agreement, or employment contract. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (1300 322 007) for state system employees.