Building and Construction Award: travel allowances for school-based apprentices amended in Pay and Conditions Tool
Posted on September 4, 2026 by The HR Bridge Team
Employ school-based apprentices under the Building and Construction General On-site Award (MA000020)? The Fair Work Ombudsman has updated how certain travel allowances are calculated in its online Pay and Conditions Tool.
What’s changed
From 9 September 2026, two allowances have been amended in the Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) for school-based apprentices who attend off-the-job training or assessment somewhere other than the school they’re enrolled at:
- Fares and travel allowance
- Living away from home – daily fares allowance
Who this affects
This update is narrow but important. It applies to employers of school-based apprentices in building and construction who have to travel to a training provider or assessment location that isn’t their own school — for example, a TAFE campus or registered training organisation.
School-based apprentices are often young and may not know to question their pay, so getting their allowances right is especially important.
Why it matters
Travel-related allowances are easy to overlook, particularly for apprentices who split their time between school, training and work. If your payroll was set up using PACT before 9 September 2026, your calculations for these allowances may no longer match the tool.
What you should do
- Identify affected apprentices. List any school-based apprentices who attend off-the-job training or assessment at a location other than their enrolled school.
- Recheck the allowances in PACT. Run their details through the tool again to see the amended fares and travel, and living away from home daily fares, allowances.
- Compare against payroll. Make sure what you’re paying matches, and update your settings if not.
- Review pays since 9 September 2026. If amounts differ, check whether any apprentices are owed money and fix it promptly.
- Check the award clauses. The award sets the entitlement. If you’re unsure whether an apprentice qualifies, read the relevant clauses or seek advice.
Need help?
The Pay and Conditions Tool is available at fairwork.gov.au. For free advice, call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94.
Based on a Fair Work Ombudsman update. This post is general information, not legal advice.
