Mathematics Standard • Year 11 • Module 3 • Lesson 2
Overtime, Penalty Rates and Allowances
Apply penalty rates and allowance rules to realistic Australian workplace scenarios — decompose, calculate, conclude.
Problem 1 — Retail worker on weekend penalties
Sam works in a hardware store. His ordinary rate is $23.40 per hour. In a particular week he worked 30 ordinary hours, 6 hours on Saturday at time-and-a-half, and 4 hours on Sunday at double time.
Set up: What are we solving for?
(i) Calculate Sam's Saturday pay. 1 mark
(ii) Calculate Sam's Sunday pay. 1 mark
(iii) Calculate Sam's total gross pay for the week. 2 marks
Stuck? Calculate each rate first, then each component, then sum.Problem 2 — Electrician with tool allowance
An electrician earns $34.80 per hour for a 38-hour week. She also receives a daily tool allowance of $18.20 over 5 working days, and a weekly first-aid allowance of $12.50.
Set up: What are we solving for?
(i) Calculate her ordinary pay for the week. 1 mark
(ii) Calculate the total of her allowances for the week. 2 marks
(iii) Calculate her gross weekly pay. 1 mark
Stuck? Tool allowance is per day × days; first-aid allowance is a flat weekly amount.Problem 3 — Factory worker on tiered overtime
An award gives a factory worker $27.20/hr base. Overtime rules: the first 2 hours at time-and-a-half, then any further overtime at double time. Last week she worked 38 ordinary hours plus 5 hours of overtime in total.
Set up: What are we solving for?
(i) Split the 5 overtime hours into the two tiers and state how many hours fall in each. 1 mark
(ii) Calculate the pay for each overtime tier. 2 marks
(iii) Calculate the total gross pay for the week. 2 marks
Stuck? Revisit lesson § Worked Example 4 — Tiered Overtime.Problem 4 — Hospitality worker on a public holiday
A café worker earns $24.60/hr. On Anzac Day (a public holiday) the award requires double time and a half. He works 8 hours on Anzac Day. He also has 30 ordinary hours that week at his base rate, plus a $14.00/day meal allowance for 4 days.
Set up: What are we solving for?
(i) Calculate the Anzac Day pay rate per hour. 1 mark
(ii) Calculate the total pay for working Anzac Day. 1 mark
(iii) Calculate the worker's gross weekly pay (ordinary + Anzac Day + meal allowance). 3 marks
Stuck? The meal allowance is paid per day worked, not per hour worked — keep it as a flat amount.Problem 5 — Overtime vs base — which week pays more?
Compare two weeks for the same worker (base rate $26.00/hr).
Week 1: 38 ordinary hours, plus 6 hours overtime at time-and-a-half.
Week 2: 38 ordinary hours, plus 4 hours overtime at double time.
Set up: What are we solving for?
(i) Calculate the overtime pay only for Week 1. 1 mark
(ii) Calculate the overtime pay only for Week 2. 1 mark
(iii) Compare the two weeks. Which paid more overtime (and the worker more total pay), and by how much? Write a one-sentence conclusion. 3 marks
Stuck? Since ordinary hours are equal both weeks, comparing the overtime totals alone is enough.How did this worksheet feel?
What I'll revisit before next class:
Problem 1 — Sam's weekend pay
Set up. Find each rate, each component, then sum.
(i) Sat rate = $23.40 × 1.5 = $35.10/hr. Sat pay = $35.10 × 6 = $210.60.
(ii) Sun rate = $23.40 × 2 = $46.80/hr. Sun pay = $46.80 × 4 = $187.20.
(iii) Ordinary = $23.40 × 30 = $702.00. Gross = $702.00 + $210.60 + $187.20 = $1,099.80.
Problem 2 — Electrician with allowances
Set up. Calculate base pay, sum the two allowance types, then total.
(i) Ordinary = $34.80 × 38 = $1,322.40.
(ii) Tool allowance = $18.20 × 5 = $91.00. First-aid = $12.50. Total allowances = $91.00 + $12.50 = $103.50.
(iii) Gross = $1,322.40 + $103.50 = $1,425.90.
Problem 3 — Tiered overtime
Set up. Split the 5 overtime hours: first 2 at time-and-a-half, remaining 3 at double time.
(i) Tier 1: 2 hours at time-and-a-half. Tier 2: 3 hours at double time.
(ii) Tier 1 rate = $27.20 × 1.5 = $40.80/hr → pay = $40.80 × 2 = $81.60. Tier 2 rate = $27.20 × 2 = $54.40/hr → pay = $54.40 × 3 = $163.20.
(iii) Ordinary = $27.20 × 38 = $1,033.60. Total = $1,033.60 + $81.60 + $163.20 = $1,278.40.
Problem 4 — Anzac Day at double time and a half
Set up. Find the public-holiday rate, the Anzac Day pay, then add the ordinary week and meal allowance.
(i) Anzac Day rate = $24.60 × 2.5 = $61.50/hr.
(ii) Anzac Day pay = $61.50 × 8 = $492.00.
(iii) Ordinary = $24.60 × 30 = $738.00. Meal allowance = $14.00 × 4 = $56.00. Gross = $738.00 + $492.00 + $56.00 = $1,286.00. (Common slip: applying 2.5 to the meal allowance — it stays $14/day.)
Problem 5 — Week 1 vs Week 2
Set up. Calculate overtime pay for each week. Ordinary pay is equal, so the overtime totals determine the higher-paid week.
(i) Week 1 OT rate = $26.00 × 1.5 = $39.00/hr. OT pay = $39.00 × 6 = $234.00.
(ii) Week 2 OT rate = $26.00 × 2 = $52.00/hr. OT pay = $52.00 × 4 = $208.00.
(iii) Difference = $234.00 − $208.00 = $26.00. Week 1 paid more by $26.00 — six hours at time-and-a-half (an extra $39/hr equivalent) beat four hours at double time (an extra $52/hr equivalent) because the time-and-a-half week had more hours.