The festive season is fast approaching and employers can get prepared by checking the pay rates employees must be paid on public holidays and other public holiday employment obligations. This season's public holidays are: Christmas Day, Monday 25 December 2023 Boxing Day, Tuesday 26 December 2023 New Year’s Day, Monday 1 January 2024. Employers and employees in the state industrial relations...

The Area and Scope and Definitions clauses of the state Farm Employees Award have been updated to expand the coverage of this WA award to a broader range of farm employees and their employers. This change, which is effective from 21 November2023, was made as part of a process being undertaken by the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission to update the scope of a number of private...

Two systems of employment law operate for the private sector in Western Australia, the state industrial relations system and the national fair work system. Working out which system covers an employer and its employees is the first step in understanding and complying with employment rights and obligations and this depends on the employer’s business structure. The Guide to who is in the WA state...

The Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission has amended the state Electrical Contracting Industry Award to increase allowances. These changes are effective from the first full pay period on or after 29 September 2023. Wageline’s WA award summary - Electrical Contracting Industry Award has been updated with the new allowance rates. The WA award can be found on the Western Australian...

The Area and Scope clause of the state Cleaners and Caretakers Award has been updated to improve clarity about coverage of this WA award. This change, which is effective from 12 October 2023, was made as part of a process being undertaken by the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission to update the scope of a number of private sector WA awards. Specifically, the changes to the Cleaners...

Private Sector Labour Relations industrial inspectors were at the Perth Royal Show this year to conduct a proactive compliance campaign. The campaign focussed on ensuring state system employers were paying staff correctly, keeping correct employment records and on the employment of children under 15 years. Private Sector Labour Relations is responsible for ensuring all businesses in the state...

The Area and Scope clause of the state Contract Cleaners Award has been updated to improve clarity about coverage of this WA award. This change, which is effective from 13 September 2023 , was made as part of a process being undertaken by the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission to update the scope of a number of private sector WA awards. Specifically, the changes to the Contract...

Monday, 25 September 2023 is the King’s Birthday public holiday in Western Australia. Wageline has published public holiday information for state system employers and employees on the King’s Birthday 2023 public holiday page. This page provides specific information on entitlements for: award free employees Shop and Warehouse (Wholesale and Retail Establishments) Award Restaurant, Tearoom and...

Wageline’s Making a complaint about underpayment of wages or entitlements page has helped many WA employees understand and follow the steps in the process for making an underpayment complaint to Private Sector Labour Relations. This information is now available in a total of 13 languages, with information added to the page on how to make a complaint in Punjabi, Persian, Thai, Spanish, Indonesian...

Private Sector Labour Relations industrial inspectors have the power to issue state system employers a civil infringement notice, similar to an ‘on-the-spot fine’, for failing to comply with record keeping or pay slip requirements. Recently a number of infringement notices have been issued to employers by industrial inspectors. One of these employers was the owner of a restaurant in an outer...

Industrial inspectors in Private Sector Labour Relations recovered $664,456 in unpaid wages and entitlements in the 2022/23 financial year. In the last 12 months, industrial inspectors completed 258 workplace investigations relating to underpayments under state employment laws, including wages under WA awards, and long service leave entitlements under the WA Long Service Leave Act. State system...