Changes to award coverage for clerical employees now in effect with eight clerks awards combined into one WA award.
State system employees and their employers who were covered by eight separate state clerical awards are now all under one award, the new Clerks - Private Sector (WA) Award.
This change was effective on 4 November 2026.
The new WA award is based on the Clerks (Commercial, Social and Professional Services) Award. That award's scope has been expanded and changes to some provisions made to incorporate employees previously covered by the following state awards:
- Clerks (Accountants Employees) Award
- Clerks (Bailiffs Employees) Award
- Clerks (Commercial, Social and Professional Services) Award
- Clerks (Customs and/or Shipping and/or Forwarding Agents) Award
- Clerks (Hotels, Motels and Clubs) Award
- Clerks (Racing Industry - Betting) Award
- Clerks (Timber) Award
- Clerks (Wholesale & Retail Establishments) Award
The new Clerks - Private Sector (WA) Award does not apply to the following types of employees:
- Reception/clerical staff working in a dental surgery (covered by the Dental Technicians and Attendants/Receptionists Award )
- Clerical staff working in the crisis assistance and supported housing industry or the social and community services industry (potentially covered by the Crisis Assistance, Supported Housing Industry Award or the Social and Community Services Industry Award )
- Clerical staff covered by the Clerks (Unions and Labor Movement) Award.
A WA award summary for the Clerks - Private Sector (WA) Award has been published by the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation to enable employers and employees understand the key award provisions.
The WA award summaries for the Clerks (Commercial, Social and Professional Services) Award, Clerks (Accountants Employees) Award, Clerks (Hotels, Motels and Clubs) Award and Clerks (Wholesale & Retail Establishments) Award outline the pay rates and entitlements that applied to employees covered by these awards until 3 November 2026. Historical versions of these WA award summaries will remain on the department's website for six years.
The Clerks - Private Sector (WA) Award is available on the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission website .
