Annual wage review research

Annual wage review research is undertaken or commissioned by staff in the Economic Analysis Team.

Full details of the Research for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23

Research reference list - Annual Wage Review 2022-23 (pdf) - published 19 May 2023

A profile of employee characteristics across modern awards (pdf) by Joshua Tomlinson and Kelvin Yuen (Fair Work Commission)

Full details of the Research for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22

Research reference list - Annual Wage Review 2021-22 (pdf) - published 6 June 2022

Experimental estimates for a Consumer Price Index for low-paid employee households (pdf) by Kelvin Yuen and David Rozenbes (Fair Work Commission)

Full details of the Research for the Annual wage review 2020–21

Research reference list – Annual Wage Review 2020–21 (pdf) 

An assessment of the economic effects of COVID-19

Professor Jeff Borland, University of Melbourne

• An assessment of the economic effects of COVID-19 – Version 5 (4 June 2021) - updated 11 June 2021
• An assessment of the economic effects of COVID-19 – Version 4 (13 May 2021) 
• An assessment of the economic effects of COVID-19 – Version 3 (21 April 2021) 
• An assessment of the economic effects of COVID-19 – Version 2 (17 February 2021) 
• An assessment of the economic effects of COVID-19 – Version 1 (23 December 2020) 

Labour market transitions of workers during COVID-19

Kelvin Yuen and Patrick Cumming

Labour market transitions of workers during COVID-19

• Research Report 1/2020 – Prevalence and persistence of low-paid award-reliant employment (pdf) by Roger Wilkins and Federico Zilio, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
• Research Report 2/2020 – Budget standards: international measures and approaches (pdf) by Ben Brocchi and Maverick De Leon, Fair Work Commission
• Research Report 3/2020 – Modern Awards Database: an introduction (pdf) by Grant Ellis and Naomi Hayler, Fair Work Commission 

• Overview of research to inform the Annual Wage Review 2018–19 (pdf) by Jeff Borland, University of Melbourne
• Research Report 1/2019 – Developments in wages growth (pdf) by David Rozenbes and Grant Ellis, Fair Work Commission
• Research Report 2/2019 – Insights into underemployment (pdf) by Kelvin Yuen and Oliver Smith, Fair Work Commission

• Overview of research to inform the Annual Wage Review 2017–18 (pdf) by J Rob Bray, Australian National University
• Research Report 1/2018 – Employee and employer characteristics and collective agreement coverage (pdf) by David Peetz (Griffith University) and Serena Yu (University of Technology Sydney)
• Research Report 2/2018 – The characteristics of the underemployed and unemployed (pdf) by David Rozenbes and Samantha Farmakis-Gamboni, Fair Work Commission (Part I) and Inga Lass and Mark Wooden, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (Part II)
• Research Report 3/2018 – Characteristics of workers earning the national minimum wage rate and of the low paid (pdf) by Kelvin Yuen, Grant Ellis and Lucy Nelms, Fair Work Commission
• Research Report 4/2018 (Part I) – Methods and limitations to undertaking analysis of the employment effects of minimum wage increases (pdf) by Jeff Borland, University of Melbourne
• Research Report 4/2018 (Part II) – Prospects for research on the employment effects of minimum wages in Australia (pdf) by Jeff Borland, University of Melbourne
• Discussion paper: The UK evaluation of the impacts of increases in their minimum wage (pdf) by Sue Richardson, Fair Work Commission

In addition to the reports above, in November 2017, the Commission hosted a presentation by Professor Peter Saunders and Megan Bedford on their budget standards research published in August 2017. The presentation was recorded and includes a video recording, PowerPoint slides and a transcript. 

• Overview of research to inform the Annual Wage Review 2016–17 (pdf) by Jeff Borland, University of Melbourne
• 1/2017 – Award-reliant workers in the household income distribution (pdf) by Carlos Jimenez and David Rozenbes, Fair Work Commission
• 2/2017 – The youth labour market (pdf) by David Rozenbes and Samantha Farmakis-Gamboni, Fair Work Commission (Part I) and Chris Ryan and David Ribar, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (Part II)
• 3/2017 – Factors affecting apprenticeships and traineeships by Lucy Nelms, Kelvin Yuen, Alice Pung, Sabrin Farooqui and Joseph Walsh, Fair Work Commission (Part I) and Tom Karmel (Part II)
• 4/2017 – Explaining recent trends in collective bargaining (pdf) by David Peetz and Serena Yu

• 1/2016 – An international comparison of minimum wages and labour market outcomes (pdf) by Kostas Mavromaras, Peter Sloane and Rong Zhu, National Institute of Labour Studies, Flinders University

• 1/2015 – Award reliance and business size: a data profile using the Australian Workplace Relations Study (pdf) by Kelvin Yuen, David Rozenbes and Samantha Farmakis-Gamboni, Fair Work Commission

• 6/2013 – Award reliance (pdf) by Sally Wright and John Buchanan, Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney Business School
• 7/2013 – Minimum wages and their role in the process and incentives to bargain (pdf) by John Buchanan, Tanya Bretherton, Betty Frino, Michelle Jakubauskas, Johanna Schutz, Garima Verma and Serena Yu, Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney Business School

• 1/2013 – Higher classification/professional employee award reliance qualitative research: Consolidated report (pdf) by Kim Maltman and Alice Dunn, Fair Work Commission
• 2/2013 – Labour supply responses to an increase in minimum wages: An overview of the literature (pdf) by David Rozenbes, Rebecca Kenny, Lucy Nelms and Samantha Farmakis-Gamboni, Fair Work Commission
• 3/2013 – Manufacturing industry profile (pdf), RSRT & Minimum Wages Research Team, Fair Work Commission
• 4/2013 – Retail trade industry profile (pdf), RSRT & Minimum Wages Research Team, Fair Work Commission
• 5/2013 – Accommodation and food services industry profile (pdf), RSRT & Minimum Wages Research Team, Fair Work Commission

In addition to the reports above, in August 2012, staff of the RSRT & Minimum Wages Research Team, Tribunal Services Branch, Fair Work Commission prepared and published mapping documents using the methodology described in Fair Work Australia Research Report 2/2012 – Analysing modern award coverage using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification 2006: Phase 1 report (pdf).

The documents are available on these pages:

• Mapping documents listed by ANZSIC division
• Mapping documents listed by modern award

• 1/2012 – Award-reliant small businesses (pdf) by Samantha Farmakis-Gamboni, David Rozenbes and Kelvin Yuen, Fair Work Australia
• 2/2012 – Analysing modern award coverage using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification 2006: Phase 1 report (pdf) by Michael Preston, Alice Pung, Elizabeth Leung, Chantelle Casey, Alice Dunn and Olaf Richter, Fair Work Australia
• 3/2012 – Award reliance and differences in earnings by gender (pdf) by Miranda Pointon, Troy Wheatley, Grant Ellis and Kathy MacDermott, Fair Work Australia
• 4/2012 – Higher classification / professional employee award reliance qualitative research: Interim report (pdf) by Kim Maltman and Alice Dunn, Fair Work Australia

• 7/2010 – Enterprise Case Studies: Effects of minimum wage-setting at an enterprise level (pdf) by Justine Evesson, Sarah Oxenbridge, Hanna Schutz, Susanna Baldwin, Maja Moensted and John Buchanan, Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney (Part 1), Justine Evesson, Sarah Oxenbridge and Hanna Schutz, Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney (Part 2) and Justine Evesson and Sarah Oxenbridge, Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney (Part 3)
• 8/2010 – Other Services Industry (pdf) by Michelle Jakubauskas, Linda Scott and Serena Yu, Workplace Researcch Centre, University of Sydney
• 9/2010 – Administrative and Support Services Industry (pdf) by Michelle Jakubauskas, Linda Scott and Serena Yu, Workplace Researcch Centre, University of Sydney
• 10/2010 – Consolidated Social Research Report (pdf) by Angela Southwell, Sophie Elliott, Neil Stafford and Gillian French, TNS Social Research
• 1/2011 – An overview of productivity, business competitiveness and viability (pdf) by Samantha Farmakis-Gamboni and Kelvin Yuen, Fair Work Australia
• 2/2011 – Relative living standards and needs of low-paid employees: definition and measurement (pdf) by Jocelyn Pech, Fair Work Australia
• 3/2011 – Employees earning below the Federal Minimum Wage: Review of data, characteristics and potential explanatory factors (pdf) by Lucy Nelms, Peter Nicholson and Troy Wheatley, Fair Work Australia
• 4/2011 – Research framework and data strategy (pdf) by Josh Healy, Ian McDonald, Kirsten Macaitis, Kostas Mavromaras and Peter Sloane, National Institute of Labour Studies, Flinders University
• 5/2011 – Review of equal remuneration principles (pdf) by Jane Romeyn, Shannon-Kate Archer and Elizabeth Leung, Fair Work Australia
• 6/2011 – Australian apprentice minimum wages in the national system (pdf) by Alice Dunn, David Rozenbes, Kim Maltman, Elizabeth Leung, Alice Pung, Ben Waugh, Courtney Dixon, Tom Cagorski, Adam Linehan and Rani Tisseverasinghe, Fair Work Australia
  • Appendices are available on request

• 1/2010 – An overview of compositional change in the Australian labour market and award reliance by David Rozenbes, Fair Work Australia. Also in PDF format
• 2/2010 – Literature review on social inclusion and its relationship to minimum wages and workforce participation by Lucy Nelms and Constantine Tsingas, Fair Work Australia. Also in PDF format
• 3/2010 – Social research – Phase one by Angela Southwell, Sophie Elliott, Neil Stafford and Gillian French, TNS Social Research. Also in PDF format
• 4/2010 – Earnings of employees who are reliant on minimum rates of pay by Tom Bolton and Troy Wheatley, Fair Work Australia. Also in PDF format
• 5/2010 – Employees with disability: Open employment and the Supported Wage System by Joelle Leggett, Shannon-Kate Archer and Elizabeth Leung, Fair Work Australia. Also in PDF format
• 6/2010 – Minimum wage transitional instruments under the Fair Work Act 2009 and the Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2009 by Alice Dunn and Giles Bray, Fair Work Australia

• A multidimensional approach to investigation of living Standards of the low-paid: income, wealth, financial stress and consumption (pdf) by Markus Hahn and Roger Wilkins, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
• Accommodation, cafes and restaurants industry profile (pdf) by ACIL Tasman
• Australian Disability Enterprises:
  • Sector profile (pdf) by Miranda Pointon, Joelle Leggett, Shannon-Kate Archer, Kim Maltman, Alice Pung and Elizabeth Leung, Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat
  • Sector profile, Appendix A & Appendix B (pdf)
  • Fact sheet (pdf)
  • Addendum (pdf)
• Changes in the Australian labour market over the economic cycle (pdf) by Nick Mowbray, David Rozenbes, Troy Wheatley and Kelvin Yuen, Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat
• Gender pay differentials in low-paid employment (pdf) by S Austin, T Jefferson, A Preston and R Seymour, Curtin University of Technology
• Health and community services industry profile (pdf) by ACIL Tasman
• Labour mobility and low-paid workers (pdf) by W Mitchell, Centre of Full Employment and Equity
• Manufacturing industry profile (pdf) by Troy Wheatley, Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat
• Modelling of the macroeconomic impact of the Fair Pay Commission's minimum wage decisions (pdf) by P M Downes and K Hanslow, Centre for International Economics
• Report on public consultations for the Australian Fair Pay Commission's 2009 minimum wage review (pdf) by A Southwell, S Elliott, R Zappelli and G French, TNS Social Research
• Retail trade industry profile (pdf) by Jocelyn Pech, Lucy Nelms, Kelvin Yuen and Tom Bolton, Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat
• Young People with poor labour force attachment: a survey of concepts, data and previous research (pdf) by Jocelyn Pech, Anne McNevin and Lucy Nelms, Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat

• 2008 Minimum Wage Research Forum Proceedings Volume 1 (pdf) & Volume 2 (pdf)
• Employer Responses to Minimum Wage Adjustments (pdf) by N Wearne, A Southwell and B Selwyn, TNS Social Research
• Report on the Australian Fair Pay Commission's 2008 Stakeholder Research (pdf) by A Southwell and N Wearne, TNS Social Research
• Report on Public Consultations for the Australian Fair Pay Commission's 2008 Minimum Wage Review (pdf) by A Southwell, N Wearne, R Zappelli and K Maltman, TNS Social Research
• The Economic and Social Circumstances of Australian Young People Aged 15–20 Years (pdf) by P Flatau, M Dockery and T Stromback, Centre for Labour Market Research

• A Strategy for Monitoring the Micro-Economic and Social Impacts of the Australian Fair Pay Commission (pdf) by J Healy and S Richardson, National Institute of Labour Studies
• Characteristics of minimum wage employees - revised May 2007 (pdf) by S McGuinness, J Freebairn and K Mavromaras, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
• Monitoring Strategy for Wage-Setting Decisions (pdf) by Access Economics
• Report on Targeted Focus Group Public Consultations for the Australian Fair Pay Commission's 2007 Minimum Wage Review (pdf) by A Southwell, R Zappelli, N Wearne and K Maltman, TNS Social Research

• An updated profile of the minimum wage workforce in Australia (pdf) by Josh Healy and Sue Richardson, National Institute of Labour Studies
• Characteristics of employers of the low paid (pdf) by the Australian Centre for Research in Employment and Work
• Interactions between wages and the tax transfer system (pdf) by A Harding, A Payne, Q N Vu and R Percival, National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling
• Minimum wages and employment (pdf) by P Lewis, Centre for Labour Market Research
• What are the characteristics of the employers of the low paid in Australia (pdf) by S McGuinness, E Webster and K Mavromaras, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
• Work decisions and the tax transfer system (pdf) by Colmar Brunton Social Research