calx.io/Shift and Penalty Rates Calculator
Turn your hourly rate, roster and penalty loadings into real take-home pay after tax, Medicare, HECS and super.
Your permanent base rate before any loadings. Find your award rate on the Fair Work pay calculator if you are not sure.
Hours in a typical week, split by shift type. Loadings are set to common award starting points; edit them to match your award.
Estimates only, not financial advice. Penalty rates and casual loading vary by award and agreement, and some awards apply casual loading differently on penalty shifts. Check your exact rates on the Fair Work pay calculator before relying on a figure.
Frequently asked questions
How does the shift calculator work?
You enter your base hourly rate and a typical week of shifts (ordinary, evening or night, Saturday, Sunday, public holiday) with the penalty loading for each. The calculator works out your weekly and annual gross, then runs it through the same ATO tax engine as the calx pay calculator, so tax, Medicare levy, HECS and super are all included in the take-home figure.
What penalty rates should I enter?
Whatever your award or agreement says. Loadings differ a lot: many awards pay 25% to 50% extra on Saturdays, 50% to 100% on Sundays, and 150% or more on public holidays, but yours may be different. The defaults are common starting points only. Look up your exact classification on the Fair Work pay calculator (PACT) and type those loadings in.
How is casual loading handled?
The casual toggle adds your casual loading (usually 25%) on top of the base rate for every shift, added to the penalty percentage. That additive approach matches most modern awards, but a few calculate casual penalty rates differently, so check your award if the cents matter.
Why is my take-home hourly rate so much lower than my penalty rate?
Penalty shifts push you into higher marginal tax territory because tax is worked out on your whole annual income. The calculator shows your true after-tax hourly rate across the whole roster, which is the honest number to compare against a salaried job offer.
Does it handle part-year work and second jobs?
Yes. Set the weeks worked per year if you do not work all 52, and switch off the tax-free threshold toggle if this is a second job so the withholding reflects it. Employer super is calculated on top of your gross, and casuals earn it too.