Notional Agreement Preserving State Awards (NAPSA) is an initiative that aims to protect the rights and entitlements of employees in Australia. Under the NAPSA, the terms and conditions of employment specified in state and territory awards are preserved even when transferring employees to the national workplace relations system.

The NAPSA was introduced in 2009 as part of the Fair Work Act. Its purpose is to ensure that employees who are covered by state and territory awards do not lose any of their entitlements when moving to the national workplace relations system. This move was made to simplify the workplace relations system and make it easier for employers and employees to understand their rights and obligations.

The NAPSA only applies to transferring employees who are covered by awards in their respective states or territories. These employees are transferred to the national system when their employer chooses to adopt a modern award or enter into an enterprise agreement that applies to their industry.

The NAPSA does not change the terms and conditions of employment for transferring employees. It preserves the terms and conditions that applied to the employee under the state or territory award. This includes any entitlements such as minimum wage rates, overtime rates, penalty rates, and leave entitlements.

The NAPSA is an essential protection for employees who are moving to the national system. It ensures that they are not worse off under the new system and that their entitlements are preserved. It also provides a sense of continuity for employees who have been covered by their state or territory award for many years.

Overall, the NAPSA is an important initiative that protects the rights of employees in Australia. It ensures that employees are not disadvantaged when transferring to the national workplace relations system and that their entitlements are preserved. Employers should be aware of their obligations under the NAPSA and ensure that they are not breaching any terms and conditions of employment when transferring employees to the national system.