The ACWA-Industrial Relations Helpline

ACWA has a service agreement with ESSA (Employment Services & Solutions Australia) and HR Legal to provide Industrial and Wage advice to all ACWA members.

ESSA will maintain an ACWA specific phone line and email advice line, manned by trained industrial relations consultants, during normal business hours (EST) to answer queries about:

1. Current terms and conditions of employment for the industry including award coverage (either Transitional Federal Awards, or NAPSAs – transitional state awards),
2. Annual wage increases,
3. Changes arising from the new National Employment Standards
4. Changes arising from Upcoming Modernized Awards;
5. General information regarding the termination of employment and unfair dismissal (with any litigation to be referred to HR Legal);
6. General information about Discrimination, Bullying and OH&S (with any litigation to be referred to HR Legal).

Individual ACWA members will each be entitled to approximately 45 minutes of free telephone support per annum, with additional work being charged at discounted rates.

Support includes:

1. Telephone advice (via the dedicated ACWA Phone Service) or dedicated email advice;
2. Review of documentation which involves less than 10 minutes reading, the preparation of short written correspondence by email (not requiring formal legal advice).

It is anticipated the free service will enable most members, seeking to clarify wage rates or get general information about agreement making and termination, to obtain the advice without charge.

However, where the matter requires specific detailed advice or if the advice you seek is more detailed than described above, you will be notified in writing (by email or letter) that any additional advice will be chargeable directly to you and the charge rates will be specified.

IR Helpline Contact Details and Web Support

If you have any queries at all on the new wage rates or anything else to do with the IR structure for your site, please contact ESSA Graham Lilleyman phone 08 9240 4230 mobile 0402 462 555 email glilleyman@essa.net.au

Along with the ACWA-ESSA Helpline current financial ACWA Members now have an extra advantage.

ESSA has also created a special section just for you on their Website – you can log in and have access to a range of template forms and sample letters as well as viewing all the wage rate information and other details.

The website log-in information is very straightforward – ACWA Members just need to follow the prompts. NOTE: the password will change periodically to ensure access is only provided to current ACWA members.

Fair Work Information Statement

The Fair Work Ombudsman has issued a revised copy of the Fair Work Information Statement.

The Fair Work Information Statement must be given to each employee when they commence employment.

The Statement provides new employees with information on the National Employment Standards, Awards, the role of the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission and includes other employment-related matters.

Under section 125 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act), a national system employer must give each employee a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement as soon as practicable after they commence employment.

Penalties of up to $63,000 for a corporation and $12,600 for an individual may be imposed if the employers do not comply with this requirement.

Click here for the new Fair Work Information Statement.https://acwa.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Fair_Work_Information_Statement_December_2019.pdf

Current Annual Wage Rates Summary

Annual Wage Review Decision 2021

We take this opportunity to remind car wash operators that car wash operator employers must comply with minimum wage and/or Award obligations.

There are severe penalties for non-compliance. The revised rates come into effect from the first pay period commencing on or after 1 February 2021.

The most recent wage rates calculations can be quickly located by clicking on Quick-Find – Wage Rates, Templates, Manuals and Business Essentials in the left-hand navigation panel.

Please also remember that one of the services available to all ACWA members is one-on-one consultation with our Industrial Relations Specialists at ESSA.

So, if you are a paid-up member and require assistance, simply call the ACWA HELPLINE and ask for Graham Lilleyman.

Details of the ESSA service agreement for Members can also be found on the ACWA website.

Annual Wage Review Decision 2020-21

ESSA has advised that the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has handed down the 2020-21 Annual Wage Review Decision. This the first in some 25 years, there has been a majority rather than a unanimous decision. This highlights the difficulty the FWC experienced in reaching the final decision.

The decision has provided an increase in wage rates, but the timing for increases is dependent upon the Award classification. Employees in car wash operations are covered under the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award 2020. Important to note is that the vehicle manufacturing industry has been removed from this Award and the title changed.

Details on timing of the roll-out of the rates increase for the car wash industry can be found here 2020 Annual Wage Decision- ACWA- June 2020

Employers are reminded that they are legally obliged to comply with minimum wage and Award obligations, and there are severe penalties for non-compliance.

Wage rates for 2019-20.

The Annual Wage Rates 2019-2020 Summary for the car wash industry came into effect from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2019.

The ACWA Wage Rates Summary is prepared by our IR Consultants, Employment Services and Solutions Australia, (ESSA). Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this advice, ACWA does NOT hold itself out as an expert and will not bear any responsibility or liability for any action taken by any person based on this information.

If you have any queries at all on the new wage rates or anything else to do with the IR structure for your site, please contact ESSA Graham Lilleyman phone 08 9240 4230 mobile 0402 462 555 email glilleyman@essa.net.au.

Important Change to Personal Leave Entitlements

The Full Bench of the Federal Court has handed down a decision which will significantly impact the manner in which personal (sick/carer’s) leave is accrued and taken.

Important Change to Personal Leave Entitlements