Home topics news via pexels News News The Fair Work case that could end discounted wages for 18-year-olds in retail and hospitality Yajush Gupta October 30, 2025 More than 500,000 young retail and hospitality workers could see significant pay rises if the Fair Work Commission agrees to scrap junior rates for those 18 and over. Deputy’s Emma Seymour weighs in. What’s happening: The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association has applied to the Fair Work Commission to remove junior pay rates for employees aged 18 and over across the General Retail Industry Award, Fast Food Industry Award and Pharmacy Industry Award. A full bench began hearing evidence on 27 October 2025, with proceedings scheduled until 7 November 2025. Why this matters: The case challenges Australia’s long-standing practice of paying workers under 21 years of age a percentage of adult wages, with current rates generally seeing 18-year-olds earn between 70 and 80 per cent of the full wage. Young workers across retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors could soon receive full adult wages as the Fair Work Commission considers abolishing junior pay rates for employees aged 18 and over. The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association lodged the claim in June 2024, seeking to vary three modern awards that currently allow employers to pay workers under 21 years of age (typically aged 16 to 20) a percentage of adult wages. A full bench of the Fair Work Commission began hearing evidence on Monday, 27 October 2025, with proceedings continuing until Friday,