Domestic and support workers employed by household employers

In Western Australia people who directly employ someone to provide domestic services in their private home, and the employees who work for them, are covered by the WA state industrial relations system. On this page, these types of employers are referred to as ‘household employers’.

Domestic services means things such as:

• support and care for a person with a disability
• support and care for an elderly person
• cleaning
• child care
• driving, gardening and/ or cooking

This information is only relevant where a household employer employs someone directly to provide domestic services. Directly means that a person (or more than one person) employs the worker to work in their home or private residence. This information is not relevant where a business or organisation employs workers to work in people’s homes.

For information about employment entitlements for domestic workers who are not employed by a household employer, visit Finding the right pay rate.

Some state employment laws previously did not apply to domestic employees employed by household employers in WA. All minimum entitlements were extended to domestic employees on 20 June 2022.

Employment entitlements

The specific pay rates and employment entitlements for employees who are employed by household employers depend on the type of work the employee is doing and whether they are covered by a WA award. Information for disability and aged care support workers, cleaners, in home child care workers such as nannies, and other workers doing driving, gardening and/or cooking work is provided below.

All employees of household employers are:

• entitled to the minimum conditions of employment for employees in the state industrial relations system, which include minimum wages, leave entitlements, public holidays, and reasonable hours of work;
• able to make a claim for unfair dismissal;
• entitled to long service leave; and
• covered by the provisions of the national Fair Work Act 2009 which apply to state system employees, which are parental leave provisions; notice periods for termination, paid family and domestic violence leave and unlawful termination provisions.

Household employers also have employment record keeping and pay slip obligations.

Some workers may be independent contractors rather than employees. An independent contractor is a worker running their own business, and is not an employee. Visit Employee or independent contractor for more information.