Getting the right employment information from the right people is critical to business success.

Wageline often gets calls in which small business owners say – “I had no idea I had to pay that” when Wageline tells them about their employment obligations.

Western Australia has two industrial relations systems and a business owner’s employment obligations will depend on which system covers their business. Employers must first know which system they are in to understand their employment obligations under the relevant awards and employment laws, but Wageline talks to many business owners every day who do not know this critical information.

The state system covers businesses that operate as sole traders, unincorporated partnerships, and unincorporated trust arrangements as well as any incorporated associations or not for profit bodies that are not trading or financial corporations. The national system covers businesses that operate as a Pty Ltd business and are a trading or financial corporation and any incorporated associations or not for profit bodies that are a trading or financial corporation.

Wageline’s Guide to who is in the WA State System has more detail, and is available on the Wageline website.

Business owners, and their business advisors, can check which system a business is in by calling Wageline. Wageline can do a check on the business name or ABN over the phone and in most cases will be able to determine which system covers a particular business. Wageline will then either advise on employment obligations if the business is in the state system, or refer on to the Fair Work Ombudsman if it is a national system employer.