In June 2020, the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission (WAIRC) issued the 2020 State Wage Case decision. The WAIRC decision granted a 1.75% per week increase in the state minimum wage and WA award rates of pay from 1 January 2021. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the minimum pay rates for award free employees and all pay rates in WA awards remained unchanged from 1 July 2020. The increases announced by WAIRC will take effect from the first pay period on or after 1 January 2021.

The WA award summaries and the Minimum pay rates for award free employees on the Wageline website include the rates of pay that apply from 1 July 2020 and the rates of pay that apply from 1 January 2021. 

If you are covered by a WA award that does not have a Wageline WA award summary, you can check the rates in the award on the WA Industrial Relations Commission website or contact Wageline on 1300 655 266.

This pay rate increase only applies to employers and employees in the state industrial relations system. It covers businesses and organisations which operate as:

• sole traders (e.g. Jane Smith trading as Jane’s Café)
• unincorporated partnerships (e.g. Jane and Bob Smith trading as Jane’s Café)
• unincorporated trust arrangements (e.g. Jane and Bob Smith as trustee for Jane’s Café)
• incorporated associations that are not trading or financial corporations and other not-for-profit organisations that are not trading or financial corporations

If the business or organisation is in the national industrial relations system, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website for information on pay rate increases.