Salary packaging contact number: How your packaged pay compares with the minimum wage

Understanding salary packaging and the minimum wage

If you have been searching for a salary packaging contact number, you are likely trying to arrange a benefit that reduces your taxable income. However, it is also important to know how your packaged salary compares with the legal minimum wage. Salary packaging (also called salary sacrificing) is a negotiation between you and your employer where you agree to receive part of your remuneration as a non-cash benefit—such as a car, laptop, or additional super contributions—in exchange for a lower gross cash salary. The benefit is usually provided pre-tax, which can lower your income tax liability. But the arrangement must still comply with Australia’s workplace laws.

The legal minimum wage floor

The national minimum wage, set by the Fair Work Commission, is the lowest amount an employer can pay an adult employee who is not covered by an award or agreement. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the rate is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38‑hour ordinary week. This is the absolute floor. If you are a casual employee, the minimum is $33.05 per hour (including the 25% casual loading). Your employer must also pay superannuation guarantee of 12% on top of your ordinary time earnings. These figures apply to national‑system employees who are award‑free and agreement‑free.

Salary packaging cannot reduce your base rate below this floor. The Fair Work Ombudsman makes clear that the total value of your remuneration—cash plus the packaged benefit—must at least equal the minimum wage. For example, if you salary sacrifice a car worth $200 per fortnight, your cash pay can be lower, but the combined cash and benefit value must still be at least $1,004.90 per week (or the applicable award rate if higher).

Award rates and enterprise agreements

Many employees are covered by a modern award or an enterprise agreement. These instruments often set higher minimum rates than the national minimum. From 1 July 2026, modern award minimum wages rise by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing classification cannot sit under the national minimum. An introductory rate (for the first six months in a job) is capped at $25.74 per hour or $978.10 per week. If your award specifies a higher rate, your salary packaging must not bring your effective hourly rate below that award rate. Always check your award classification before negotiating a packaging arrangement.

Survey averages and negotiated salaries

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides a broader picture of typical earnings. In May 2026, full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week, while all employees (including part‑time and casual) averaged $1,579.20 per week. These are not legal minimums but market benchmarks. A salary packaging arrangement is a negotiated part of your total remuneration package. The contact number for salary packaging—whether it is your employer’s HR department or a provider—is specific to your workplace. This site does not list such numbers, but you can ask your employer or payroll team.

Practical check: comparing your hourly rate

To see if your packaged salary meets the legal floor, calculate your effective hourly rate. Add your cash pay and the pre‑tax value of any packaged benefits (e.g., car lease payments, laptop cost). Divide that total by your ordinary hours (usually 38 per week). If the result is below $26.44 per hour, your arrangement may be unlawful. Remember that junior employees, apprentices, and trainees have different minimum rates (see the junior percentages in the reference). For award‑free juniors, the rate ranges from $9.73 per hour (under 16) to $25.84 per hour (age 20). Apprentice and trainee rates follow the Miscellaneous Award, not the junior percentages.

Superannuation and salary packaging

Super guarantee is calculated on your ordinary time earnings, which generally include the cash salary but may exclude some packaged benefits. However, if you salary sacrifice into super, those contributions are still subject to the super guarantee (the employer must pay 12% on top of the sacrificed amount). Always check with your employer or a tax professional to ensure your packaging does not inadvertently reduce your super entitlements.

Internal resources

For more on which minimum wage applies to your situation, see Which minimum wage applies. For detailed rate tables including junior and casual rates, see Rate tables. These guides can help you verify that your salary packaging arrangement stays within legal limits.

Final note

This article provides orientation only. It is not a pay determination, tax advice, or legal advice. The adult weekly national minimum is the published $1,004.90 figure. Multiplying $26.44 by 38 ordinary hours lands 18 cents lower because of rounding in the order. Casual weekly figures on this site are the published casual hourly rate times 38 ordinary hours, with no penalty rates. If you need a specific salary packaging contact number, please contact your employer or a qualified advisor.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.