Payroll for Medical Receptionists and Nurses

Payroll in a medical practice is more complex than standard business payroll. You are often dealing with multiple Awards simultaneously.

The Two Main Awards

• Health Professionals and Support Services Award (MA000027): This usually covers your Practice Managers and Medical Receptionists.
• Nurses Award (MA000034): This covers Registered Nurses (RNs) and Enrolled Nurses (ENs).

Common Payroll Pitfalls

1. Misclassification

Are your receptionists Level 1 or Level 3? If they are handling complex patient triage or billing, they are likely not Level 1. Misclassifying staff leads to massive back-pay claims.

2. Laundry Allowance

If you require staff to wear a uniform (or even specific colour clothing), you must pay a Laundry Allowance. This is a small amount per shift but adds up over time and is a common trigger for Fair Work audits.

3. Overtime for Casuals

Many Practice Managers forget that casuals are entitled to overtime rates if they work more than 10 hours in a day or 38 hours in a week. You cannot just pay the flat casual rate for infinite hours.