Section 21Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)

Meaning of pieceworker

(1) A pieceworker is:

(a) a national system employee to whom a modern award applies and who is defined or described in the award as a pieceworker; or

(b) a national system employee to whom an enterprise agreement applies and who is defined or described in the agreement as a pieceworker; or

(c) an award/agreement free employee who is in a class of employees prescribed by the regulations as pieceworkers.

Note: Sections 197 and 198 affect whether the FWC may approve an enterprise agreement covering a national system employee that includes a term that:

(a) defines or describes the employee as a pieceworker, if the employee is covered by a modern award that is in operation and does not include such a term; or

(b) does not define or describe the employee as a pieceworker, if the employee is covered by a modern award that is in operation and includes such a term.

(2) Without limiting the way in which a class may be described for the purposes of paragraph (1)(c), the class may be described by reference to one or more of the following:

(a) a particular industry or part of an industry;

(b) a particular kind of work;

(c) a particular type of employment.

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 17 May 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au. Verify the current text against the official source before relying on it.

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