On 27 March 2007, for employees covered by the WorkChoices system, notional Australian Pay and Classification Scales were established.
[2] Instead, "Pay Scale Summaries" were eventually published by the Workplace Authority (and remain available from the Fair Work Commission website).
However, they also state that satisfaction of the terms of the summaries will satisfy the Workplace Ombudsman that the employer has complied with its obligations under the relevant Scales.
Changes from the previous system of wages contained in awards included that basic periodic rates were in an hourly (rounded) rather than weekly form, and that wage rates were adjusted by the Australian Fair Pay Commission rather than the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
Where a CA or AWA was lodged after 27 March 2006 (a post-reform agreement), it was not to contain provisions that were less than the Standard, including the relevant Scales.