Can I rely on the Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF to set my pay?

No. The Adecco guide is a market survey of typical salaries offered by employers, not a legal minimum. Your pay must meet or exceed the minimum set by the Fair Work Act, a modern award, or an enterprise agreement. The guide may be useful for benchmarking but cannot replace the legal pay floor.

What is the difference between the national minimum wage and an award rate?

The national minimum wage ($26.44/h from 1 July 2026) applies only to employees not covered by a modern award or registered agreement. Most employees are covered by an award, which sets higher minimum rates for their industry or occupation. Award rates can include penalty rates, allowances, and classification levels above the national minimum.

How does superannuation affect my take‑home pay?

Superannuation guarantee (currently 12%) is paid by your employer on top of your ordinary time earnings. It does not come out of your gross pay. For example, if your weekly salary is $1,004.90, your employer must also contribute $120.59 to your super fund. Your take‑home pay is further reduced by income tax and the Medicare levy (2% once annual earnings exceed $30,000).

Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF: How It Compares to Australia’s Legal Minimum Wage

The legal minimum for award‑free adults is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week, but many workers are covered by awards or agreements that set higher rates.

What the Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF Tells You – and What It Doesn’t

The Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF is a popular resource for employers and job seekers wanting to benchmark salaries across industries. However, it is a market survey, not a legal document. It reflects what some employers were offering in 2018, not what you are legally entitled to. This site focuses on the actual pay floors set by Australian law: the national minimum wage, modern award rates, and enterprise agreements.

If you are looking at the Adecco guide to decide what to pay or ask for, you must first check the legal minimum that applies to the job. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Which minimum wage applies tool can help you identify the correct award or agreement.

Legal Minimum vs. Survey Average vs. Award Rate vs. Negotiated Salary

It is important to separate these four concepts:

Legal minimum: The lowest amount an employer can pay, set by the Fair Work Commission. For award‑free adults, it is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (from 1 July 2026). Casual employees get a 25% loading, making it $33.05 per hour.
Survey average: Figures like those in the Adecco guide are averages or medians from employer surveys. They are not enforceable and may be higher or lower than the legal minimum.
Award rate: Most employees are covered by a modern award, which sets minimum pay rates for their classification. These rates are often higher than the national minimum. For example, the Health Services Award had changes from 1 October 2026, and the SCHADS Award will increase home care disability rates by up to 15% from 1 December 2026.
Negotiated salary: An enterprise agreement or individual contract can set a rate above the award or national minimum. It cannot go below.

Superannuation is an employer payment on top of your gross pay. The super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. If your salary is $1,004.90 per week, your employer must also contribute $120.59 to your super fund.

How the Weekly Packet Looks After Tax and Medicare

Using the national minimum wage as an example:

Gross weekly pay: $1,004.90
Annualised: $52,254.80
Tax (2026‑27 rates with full tax‑free threshold): approximately $6,567
Medicare levy (2% on income over $30,000): approximately $1,045
Net weekly take‑home: roughly $1,004.90 – ($126.29 tax + $20.10 Medicare) = $858.51

This is a simplified model. It excludes the low‑income tax offset, HELP repayments, salary sacrifice, and the Medicare levy surcharge. Your actual take‑home will vary.

For a full‑time adult earning the average weekly ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 (ABS May 2026), the numbers are higher:

Annual: $108,352.40
Tax (2026‑27): approximately $26,347
Medicare: $2,167
Net weekly: roughly $2,083.70 – ($506.67 tax + $41.67 Medicare) = $1,535.36

Again, super is paid on top by the employer.

Award Rates and the National Minimum Backstop

Even if you are covered by an award, the Fair Work Commission ensures that the lowest ongoing classification in any modern award cannot fall below the national minimum wage. From 1 July 2026, modern award minimum wages rose by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing rate is at least $26.44 per hour. Introductory rates (first six months) cannot be less than $25.74 per hour or $978.10 per week.

Some employees are entitled to less than the adult national minimum:

Junior employees (under 21, award‑free): percentages of the adult rate apply. For example, a 16‑year‑old gets $12.51 per hour ($15.64 casual).
Apprentices and trainees: rates are set by the Miscellaneous Award, not the junior scale.
Employees with disability: special national minimum wages may apply.

Always check the relevant award or agreement. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Rate tables provide current minimum pay rates for each classification.

Why the Adecco Guide Can Be Misleading

The Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF is now several years old. Wage levels have changed significantly since 2018. The national minimum wage has increased from about $18.93 per hour in 2018 to $26.44 in 2026. Award rates have also risen. Using an outdated survey could lead you to underpay or overpay relative to current legal requirements.

For accurate, up‑to‑date information, rely on the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission. Our Guides explain how to find your correct minimum wage.

Summary

The Adecco guide is a market snapshot, not a legal standard.
The legal minimum for award‑free adults is $26.44/h or $1,004.90/week.
Most workers are covered by an award or agreement that sets a higher rate.
Super (12%) is paid on top of your gross pay.
Tax and Medicare reduce your take‑home pay.

Always verify your pay against the correct legal instrument. Use the How the figures work page to understand our calculations.