Wageline answers many enquiries each week about employer obligations relating to termination, and the entitlements owed to employees when employment ends through resignation, dismissal or redundancy. In recent weeks Wageline has had an increase in calls about dismissal and termination. Employers and employees in the state industrial relations system should visit the termination and dismissal...

This year the Queen’s Birthday public holiday in Western Australia will be held on Monday 24 September 2018. Some regional areas in Western Australia hold the Queen's Birthday public holiday on an alternative date, usually to coincide with a significant date or event for that area. Visit the Regional Dates for the Queen's Birthday public holiday page on the Wageline website for details.

The owner-operators of a plumbing and gas fitting business in the Perth Hills have been fined $22,000 for underpaying their apprentice plumber over a period of two years. The Industrial Magistrates Court found the couple had underpaid the apprentice, failed to pay him for all rostered days off and failed to pay him for untaken annual leave on termination of employment. Industrial Magistrate Flynn...

Long service leave payments can be a hidden cost when buying a business. Small business owners and their accountants need to be aware that when someone purchases a business or part of a business in Western Australia, in most circumstances the new owner will take on the long service leave obligations for existing employees, for the whole period of their employment. This applies regardless of...

One of the commonly asked questions to Wageline is about the key differences between subcontractors and employees. If a person is engaged as a subcontractor but is legally considered an employee, the person could potentially be owed unpaid entitlements. The Employee or Subcontractor page has information on the differences between an employee and a subcontractor including an Employee or...

All businesses which employ children must comply with the laws on where, when and at what age children can be employed. The Children and Community Services Act 2004 regulates employment of children in Western Australia and these laws apply to all employers throughout the State. In most industries, children under 15 cannot be employed unless they are working in a family business run by a relative...

Many WA awards require employers to pay an employee working in certain regional towns a location allowance to compensate for the additional cost of living, climatic discomfort, and isolation in these towns. The location allowance is varied in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for the cost of living, excluding housing. The location allowance payable for each town has increased and is...

The 1 July 2018 pay rates are now available on the Minimum pay rates for award free employees page and the WA award summaries page of the Wageline website. If you are covered by a WA award that does not have a Wageline summary, check the new rates in the award on the WA Industrial Relations Commission website when available or contact Wageline on 1300 655 266. The state minimum wage for award...

The Anzac Day public holiday is this Wednesday 25 April 2018. Regardless of whether your business is closed on this public holiday you should check you are meeting your employment obligations for this day. For more information about your public holiday obligations visit the Pay rates for public holidays page . Wageline will be closed on Anzac Day and will reopen on Thursday 26 April at 8.30am.

Do casuals get long service leave? What happens to an employee's long service leave when I buy a business? How do I calculate long service leave? These are some of the common questions Wageline deals with on a daily basis when asked about long service leave. Long service leave can be complex, especially when you're trying to work out what an employee's entitlement is. But Wageline is here to help...

Easter has arrived and before the long weekend begins employers should check their employment obligations for the Easter period. The Western Australian public holidays for the 2018 Easter period are: Good Friday - Friday 30 March Easter Monday - Monday 2 April Visit the Easter 2018 public holiday arrangement page for: An overview of the Easter public holiday payment arrangements for state system...