# National Employment Standards — Key Minimums

**Controlling Act:** *Fair Work Act 2009* (Cth)

| Entitlement | Minimum figure |
|---|---|
| 1. Paid annual leave (full-time employee) | **4** weeks per year |
| 2. Maximum ordinary hours of work | **38** hours per week |

**Working / authority:**

- **Annual leave** — s 87(1)(a) of the *Fair Work Act 2009* (Cth) provides that a full-time national system employee accrues 4 weeks of paid annual leave for each year of service (shift workers may accrue 5 weeks under s 87(1)(b), but the base minimum for full-time non-shift workers is **4**).
- **Ordinary hours** — s 62(1) of the same Act provides that an employer must not request or require a full-time employee to work more than **38** ordinary hours in a week (plus reasonable additional hours under s 62(2)).

Both figures remain unchanged for FY 2025–26; the NES provisions have not been amended in this respect.