How the piecework minimum-wage guarantee works
How AgCore checks a farm worker's piecework pay against their resolved wage rate and the live Horticulture Award floor, and when a Top-up appears.
What the daily guarantee does
Piecework pays for output: bins picked, trays packed or another agreed unit. The daily minimum-wage guarantee protects the time spent doing that piecework. For each day, AgCore compares the worker's piece earnings with their hourly guarantee multiplied by their piecework hours.
If the piece earnings are higher, the worker keeps the higher amount. If the piece earnings are lower, AgCore records the difference as a Top-up during reconciliation. A Top-up is part of pay; it is not another piece entry.
AgCore can calculate the check only after the Time Entry is closed. An open Time Entry leaves the minimum, Top-up and final pay pending. The worker also needs a valid Piecework Agreement covering the work date before you can record their pieces.
Whose rate sets the worker's floor
The hourly guarantee belongs to the worker on the date they work. AgCore resolves the worker's wage rate for that date, then compares it with the current Horticulture Award minimum for that worker's employment type and classification level. The higher amount is their hourly guarantee.
The Piece Rate Type does not set the worker's hourly guarantee. A Piecework Agreement records the signed piece-rate terms for the task; it does not provide a different hourly guarantee.
The award figure comes from AgCore's effective-dated award table for the Organisation's configured award, employment type and classification. A future-dated row waits until its effective date. AgCore cannot choose the award for your farm or measure whether a rate meets the Award's productivity test, so check the Fair Work source when setting the task rate.
Why another Piecework Agreement does not change it
A worker can have more than one Piecework Agreement when they do different tasks. Signing another agreement for a different Piece Rate Type does not change the worker's wage rate or reprice a day that has already been reconciled.
The hourly figure on a signed agreement records the guarantee in effect when it was issued. For the daily check, AgCore resolves the guarantee from the worker and the work date. A later award increase applies to later work under the award rules. It does not rewrite completed reconciliations or exports.
Set the piece rate, then check the result
The employer sets the rate for the task and is responsible for checking that it meets the award. Under the Horticulture Award, the rate must let a pieceworker working at the average productivity of a competent pieceworker earn at least 15% more per hour than their minimum hourly rate. AgCore records the task, signed record, hours, pieces and reconciliation. It does not decide which award covers your farm or measure productivity.
Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's how to use piece rates guide and piecework checklists and templates when setting or reviewing a rate.
Open AgCore
Already have a login? Open Piece Rates to review the tasks your Organisation pays against, or open Reports to see the minimum-required, Top-up and final pay columns in the Piece Rate Report. The detailed piecework and minimum-wage guide stays in the app beside the screens it describes.
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