Upcoming changes to Hairdressers Award that will effect the WA Beauty Industry

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Posted September 5, 2024

In June, the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission (WAIRC) issued an order to vary the provisions of the Hairdressers Award 1989 to cover employees in the WA beauty industry. The order is only relevant to employers and employees in the WA state industrial relations system.

The proposed changes under the order seek to draw the WA Beauty Industry into the scope of the Hairdressers Award 1989.

Beauty salon employees are currently award free and their pay and conditions fall under the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993 (WA).

The changes are expected to include renaming the Hairdressers Award so that it will be called the Hair and Beauty Industry (WA) Award.

There is no confirmed date for the order take effect but the change is expected to be confirmed later in 2024, as announced by the WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

According to the WA government, “‘The key changes to the provisions of the Hairdressers Award / Hair and Beauty Industry (WA) Award include:

• new classifications for hairdressing salon assistants and trainees (positions that are currently award free in the state industrial relations system);
• new classifications for beauty industry employees;
• changes to provisions dealing with paid and unpaid leave, notice of termination, and employers record keeping obligations to be consistent with relevant state and national laws that apply to employees in the state industrial relations system;
• updates to the hours of duty to enable ordinary hours to be worked on Sundays and weekday evenings (Monday to Friday), recognising that hairdressing salons can now trade at these times under the Retail Trading Hours Act 1987; and
• updates to definitions and re-organisation of the structure of the WA award so like clauses are grouped together under functional headings for ease of reference.”

Source: Upcoming changes to the Hairdressers Award | Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (commerce.wa.gov.au)