The Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission has issued a General Order which increases the casual loading to 25% for all private sector and local government awards that currently have a casual loading below 25%, effective from 26 April.
The order will increase pay rates for some casual employees who are covered by WA awards that do not currently require a 25% loading to be paid to casual employees.
Key WA awards impacted by this General Order include:
- Local Government Officers Award
- Municipal Employees Award
- Hair and Beauty Industry (WA) Award
- Building Trades and Labourers (Construction) Award
- Building Trades and Labourers (General) Award
- Social and Community Services (WA) Interim Award
- Children’s Services (Private) Award
- Contract Cleaners Award
- Transport Workers (General) Award
- Security Officers Award
A complete list of WA awards covered by the General Order is available below.
Pay rates in WA awards that currently require a 25% loading for casual employees are not changing. Key WA awards that are not impacted by the General Order are:
- Restaurant, Tearoom and Catering Workers Award
- Shop and Warehouse (Wholesale and Retail Establishments) Award
- Metal Trades (General) Award)
- Clerks (Commercial, Social and Professional Services) Award.
New versions of the Wageline WA award summaries with the new casual pay rates incorporating the 25% casual loading are currently being prepared and will be published in early April.
The casual loading clauses in the WA awards that are impacted by the General Order are not being directly amended at this time. The requirement to provide a 25% casual loading in the General Order will override any award provisions that provide a lower percentage casual loading.
On 31 January, the casual loading on the State Minimum Wage increased from 20% to 25%. Since that date the minimum casual rate for all adult employees (21 or over) in the state system has been $30.22 per hour and the rates payable to some WA award casual employees increased on 31 January 2025 as a result.Â
WA awards for which casual loading is increasing to 25%:
- Aboriginal Communities and Organisations Western Australian Interim Award 2011
- Aboriginal Medical Service Employees’ Award
- Aerated Water and Cordial Manufacturing Industry Award 1975
- Aged and Disabled Persons Hostels Award, 1987
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry (Construction and Servicing) Award No. 10 of 1979
- Ambulance Service Employees’ Award, 1969
- Animal Welfare Industry Award
- Artworkers Award
- Bag, Sack and Textile Award
- Bakers’ (Country) Award No. 18 of 1977
- Bakers’ (Metropolitan) Award No. 13 of 1987
- Bespoke Bootmakers’ and Repairers’ Award No. 4 of 1946
- Brick Manufacturing Award 1979
- Brushmakers’ Award No. 30 of 1959
- Building and Engineering Trades (Nickel Mining and Processing) Award, 1968
- Building Trades (Construction) Award 1987
- Building Trades Award 1968
- Case and Box Makers’ Award, 1952
- Child Care (Lady Gowrie Child Centre) Award
- Child Care (Out of School Care – Playleaders) Award
- Child Care (Subsidised Centres) Award
- Children’s Services (Private) Award 2006
- Children’s Services Consent Award 1984
- Cleaners and Caretakers (Car and Caravan Parks) Award 1975
- Cleaners and Caretakers Award, 1969
- Clerks’ (Hotels, Motels and Clubs) Award 1979
- Contract Cleaners Award, 1986
- Crisis Assistance, Supported Housing Industry – Western Australian Interim Award 2011
- Dairy Factory Workers’ Award 1982
- Deckhands (Passenger Ferries, Launches and Barges) Award
- Dental Technicians’ and Attendant/Receptionists’ Award, 1982
- Draughtsmen’s, Tracers’, Planners’ and Technical Officers’ Award 1979
- Dried Vine Fruits Industry Award, 1951
- Drum Reclaiming Award
- Dry Cleaning and Laundry Award 1979
- Earth Moving and Construction Award
- Egg Processing Award 1978
- Electrical Contracting Industry Award R 22 of 1978
- Electrical Trades (Security Alarms Industry) Award, 1980
- Electronics Industry Award No. A 22 of 1985
- Engine Drivers’ (Building and Steel Construction) Award No. 20 of 1973
- Engine Drivers’ (General) Award
- Engine Drivers’ (Gold Mining) Consolidated Award, 1979
- Engine Drivers’ (Nickel Mining) Award 1968
- Engine Drivers’ Minerals Production (Salt) Industry Award, 1970
- Family Day Care Co-Ordinators’ and Assistants’ Award, 1985
- Farm Employees’ Award 1985
- Food Industry (Food Manufacturing or Processing) Award
- Fruit and Produce Market Employees Award No. 50 of 1955
- Fruit Growing and Fruit Packing Industry Award
- Funeral Directors’ Assistants’ Award No. 18 of 1962
- Furniture Trades Industry Award
- Gate, Fence and Frames Manufacturing Award
- Hair and Beauty Industry (WA) Award
- Health Attendants Award, 1979
- Horticultural (Nursery) Industry Award No. 30 of 1980
- Hospital Salaried Officers (Dental Therapists) Award, 1980
- Industrial Spraypainting and Sandblasting Award
- Iron Ore Production & Processing (Locomotive Drivers Rio Tinto Railway) Award 2006
- Iron Ore Production & Processing (Locomotive Drivers) Award 2006
- Landscape Gardening Industry Award
- Laundry Workers’ Award, 1981
- Licensed Establishments (Retail and Wholesale) Award 1979
- Local Government Officers’ (Western Australia) Award 2021
- Marine Stores Award
- Masters, Mates and Engineers Passenger Ferries Award
- Mineral Sands Industry Award 1991
- Miscellaneous Workers’ (Activ Foundation) Award
- Monumental Masonry Industry Award, 1989
- Motor Vehicle (Service Station, Sales Establishments, Rust Prevention and Paint
- Protection) Industry Award No. 29 of 1980
- Municipal Employees (Western Australia) Award 2021
- Musicians’ General (State) Award 1985
- Nurses’ (Aboriginal Medical Services) Award No. A 23 of 1987
- Nurses (Child Care Centres) Award 1984
- Nurses’ (Day Care Centres) Award
- Nurses’ (Independent Schools) Award
- Optical Mechanics’ Award, 1971
- Particle Board Employees’ Award, 1964
- Particle Board Industry Award No. 10 of 1978
- Pastrycooks’ Award No. 24 of 1981
- Performers Live Award (WA) 1993
- Pest Control Industry Award
- Photographic Industry Award, 1980
- Pipe, Tile and Pottery Manufacturing Industry Award
- Plaster, Plasterglass and Cement Workers’ Award No. A 29 of 1989
- Plywood and Veneer Workers Award
- Plywood and Veneer Workers’ Award, 1952
- Poultry Breeding Farm & Hatchery Workers’ Award 1976
- Printing Award
- Prospector and AvonLink on Train Customer Service Officers Award
- Quadriplegic Centre Award
- Quarry Workers’ Award, 1969
- Radio and Television Employees’ Award
- Retail Pharmacists’ Award 2004
- Rock Lobster and Prawn Processing Award 1978
- Rope and Twine Workers’ Award
- Saddlers and Leatherworkers’ Award
- Saw Servicing Establishments Award No. 17 of 1977
- Security Officers’ Award
- Sheet Metal Workers’ Award No. 10 of 1973
- Show Grounds Maintenance Worker’s Award
- Soap and Allied Products Manufacturing Award
- Social and Community Services (Western Australia) Interim Award 2011
- Social Trainers and Assistant Supervisors’ (Activ Foundation) Award
- Soft Furnishings Award
- Teachers’ Aides’ (Independent Schools) Award 1988
- Thermal Insulation Contracting Industry Award
- Timber Workers Award No. 36 of 1950
- Timber Yard Workers Award No. 11 of 1951
- Training Assistants’ and Community Support Staff (Cerebral Palsy Association) Award 1987
- Transport Workers (General) Award No. 10 of 1961
- Transport Workers (Mobile Food Vendors) Award 1987
- Transport Workers’ (Passenger Vehicles) Award
- Transport Workers’ (North West Passenger Vehicles) Award, 1988
- Vehicle Builders’ Award 1971
- Watchmakers’ and Jewellers’ Award, 1970
- Western Australian Professional Engineers (General Industries) Award 2004
- Wine Industry (WA) Award 2005
- Wool, Hide and Skin Store Employees’ Award No. 8 of 1966
