Western Australia Day 2023 public holiday entitlements

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Employee / workerEmployer

wa_image_small.jpg This information is only relevant to employers and employees in the WA state industrial relations system

Monday, 5 June 2023 is the Western Australia Day public holiday. 

This page provides information on public holiday entitlements for Western Australia Day 2023 for:

  • award free employees
  • Shop and Warehouse (Wholesale and Retail Establishments) Award
  • Restaurant, Tearoom and Catering Workers Award  
  • Hairdressers Award. 

For information on other WA awards, please:

Award free employees

Full time and part time employees

Award free full time and part time employees who would normally work on Monday 5 June 2023, but who are not required to work solely because it is a public holiday, are entitled to be paid for that day.

There are no minimum entitlements to additional rates of pay for working on a public holiday for award free employees, including Monday 5 June. However, award free employees may have contracts of employment which specify other arrangements for payment and paid time off for public holidays.

Casual employees

There are no minimum entitlements to additional rates of pay for award free casual employees working on the public holiday on Monday 5 June. However, award free employees may have contracts of employment which specify other arrangements for payment on public holidays.

Shop and Warehouse (Wholesale and Retail Establishments) Award

Full time and part time employees

Full time and part time employees who would normally be required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, but who are not required to work because it is a public holiday, are entitled to be paid for that day. If a full time or part time employee is required to work on Monday 5 June, public holiday pay rates will apply. See the Shop and Warehouse WA Award Summary for public holiday rates of pay.

The Shop and Warehouse Award also provides that when a public holiday falls on a ‘rostered day off’, a full time employee is to be compensated in one of the following methods by agreement between the employer and employee:

  • payment of an additional day’s wages;
  • another day shall be allowed with pay within 28 days; or
  • have another day added to their annual leave entitlement.

Example 1

Harriet works 19 days over a four-week cycle (8 hours per day) and has a rostered day off every fourth Monday. In 2023, the Western Australia Day public holiday (Monday 5 June) falls on Harriet's rostered day off. To compensate for this, Harriet and her employer can agree that Harriet:

  • receive payment of an additional day's wage;
  • take another rostered day off within 28 days; or
  • have another day added to her annual leave entitlement.

Example 2

Ming is a full time employee who works in a General Retail Shop from Tuesday to Saturday each week. Monday is therefore considered a ‘rostered day off’ for Ming. As the public holiday falls on Ming’s rostered day off, Ming and her employer can agree that Ming:

  • receive payment of an additional day’s wage;
  • take another rostered day off within 28 days; or
  • have another day added to her annual leave entitlement.

The Shop and Warehouse Award also provides that when a public holiday falls on a day that a full time or part time employee is usually required to work less than one fifth of their ordinary weekly hours of duty, the employee is entitled to time off duty without deduction of pay equivalent to the difference between the time usually worked on that day and one fifth of their ordinary weekly hours. The following example illustrate how this works.

Example 3

Jeremy is a part time employee who works an average of 30 hours per week. One fifth of Jeremy's ordinary hours is therefore 6 hours (30 divided by 5). Jeremy normally works 4 hours on a Monday.

Jeremy's employer is closed on Monday 5 June. Jeremy is entitled to be paid for the 4 hours he would normally have worked on that Monday, and additionally, he is entitled to time off duty equivalent to 2 hours. The time off duty represents the difference between the time he ordinarily works on a Monday (4 hours) and one fifth of his ordinary weekly hours (6 hours).

The time off duty may be taken at a time that is mutually agreed between the employer and employee, or it may be taken in conjunction with a period of annual leave.

Casual employees

Casual employees who are required to work on Monday 5 June 2023 must be paid at public holiday rates. Public holiday pay rates for casual employees are listed in the Shop and Warehouse WA Award summary

Restaurant, Tearoom and Catering Workers Award

Full time employees

Full time employees who would normally be required to work Monday 5 June 2023, but who are not required to work because it is a public holiday, are entitled to be paid for that day. If a full time employee is required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, public holiday rates will apply. Please see the Restaurant, Tearoom and Catering Workers WA Award Summary for public holiday pay rates.

If any public holiday under the award falls on an employee's non-working day (known as a 'rostered day off'), the public holiday is observed on the next rostered working day. In this situation the next rostered working day is considered to be a public holiday, while the non-working day is not. If the employee is required to work on the next rostered working day, they are entitled to be paid public holiday rates of pay.

Example

Morgan is a full time chef who works from Tuesday to Saturday each week.

In 2023, the Western Australia Day public holiday falls on Monday 5 June. As this is a non-working day for Morgan, the public holiday is observed on their next rostered working day. Morgan is therefore entitled to a paid day off on Tuesday 6 June 2023. If they are required to work on this day, public holiday pay rates will apply.

Part time employees

Part time employees who would normally be required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, but who are not required to work because it is a public holiday, are entitled to be paid for that day. If a part time employee is required to work on Monday 5 June, public holiday pay rates will apply.

If a part time employee would not normally be required to Monday 5 June 2023, there are no additional public holiday entitlements.

Casual employees

Casual employees who are required to work on Monday 5 June 2023 must be paid at public holiday rates.

Public holiday pay rates for casual employees are listed in the Restaurant, Tearoom and Catering Workers WA Award summary.

Hairdressers award

Full time employees

Full time employees who would normally be required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, but who are not required to work because it is a public holiday, are entitled to be paid for that day. If a full time employee is required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, public holiday pay rates will apply. Please see the Hairdressers WA Award Summary for public holiday pay rates.

If Monday 5 June 2023 falls on a full time employee’s non-working day (referred to as a ‘rostered day off’), then the rostered day off is to be taken on the employee’s next following working day, or by mutual agreement, another day within the same week.

Alternatively, the award allows the employer and employee to agree on the employee accumulating up to five rostered days off in any given year, which may be taken at a mutually agreed time.

Example

Nathan is a full time hairdresser and works Tuesday to Saturday each week.

In 2023, the public holiday falls on Monday 5 June. As Monday is a non-working day for Nathan (i.e. a rostered day off), Nathan is entitled to another paid day off on his next working day, which is Tuesday 6 June 2023. Alternatively, Nathan and his employer may agree the paid day off be taken on another day that week, or another mutually convenient time.

Part time employees

Part time employees who would normally be required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, but who are not required to work because it is a public holiday, are entitled to be paid for that day. If a part time employee is required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, public holiday pay rates will apply.

If a part time employee would not normally be required to work on Monday 5 June 2023, there are no additional public holiday entitlements.

Casual employees

Casual employees who are required to work on Monday 5 June 2023 must be paid at public holiday rates.

Public holiday pay rates for casual employees are listed in the Hairdressers WA Award summary

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