Wageline to shine a light on businesses in the beauty industry

This announcement is for: 
Employee / workerEmployer

The Private Sector Labour Relations Division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is currently undertaking a campaign to promote compliance with state employment laws by beauty salon businesses in the state industrial relations system.

The campaign is aimed at businesses operating solely as beauty salons and does not include businesses that are hair and beauty salons or nail and beauty salons.

Owners of beauty salon businesses which operate in the state industrial relations system must provide the legal minimum pay rate to all staff.  It is unlawful for employers to pay employees less than the minimum rate of pay.

The state industrial relations system covers businesses which operate as sole traders, unincorporated partnerships and unincorporated trusts and their employees.  For more information on who is covered by the state system, visit www.dmirs.wa.gov.au/wageline.

Information is being sent to all beauty salon businesses in the state system as part of the campaign, so if you operate a business in this industry please check your mail box for critical information.

The minimum hourly pay rate for a full time or part time employee aged 21 or over working as a beauty therapist is currently $19.66 and the minimum hourly pay rate for a casual employee aged 21 or over is currently $23.59.

Following the awareness raising part of the campaign, selected businesses will be audited by industrial inspectors from Private Sector Labour Relations to ensure that employees are receiving their correct pay rates and entitlements, and business owners are maintaining correct employment records.  If breaches are identified, Private Sector Labour Relations may initiate court action in the Industrial Magistrates Court.

Over the last few years, Private Sector Labour Relations industrial inspectors have received 21 complaints from employees of beauty salon employers for breaches of the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993. Via conciliation and formal investigations, a total of $26,055 has been recovered on behalf of employees, an average of $1,240 per employee.

The Beauty Salons Education Campaign page on the Wageline website gives beauty salon business owners more information on employment obligations. You can also visit www.dmirs.wa.gov.au/wageline, contact Wageline via Wageline@dmirs.wa.gov.au or 1300 655 266.

 

Labour Relations
Department News
25 Jul 2019

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