A property staging business styles real estate in preparation for sale or lease.

Some might also lease homewares and artwork, or offer virtual staging of a property for online marketing.

Property staging businesses can sometimes run alongside, or as part of an interior design business. See Award coverage for interior designers, decorators, and stylists for more information on award coverage for employers and employees engaged in interior design.

Industry award coverage

An industry award can cover an employee of a property staging business if:

• their employer operates in the industry covered by the award
• there's a classification which matches the employee's qualifications, duties and responsibilities.

Retail Award

The Retail Award can cover employees of a property staging business if the business is in the general retail industry. The general retail industry means the sale or hire of goods or services to final consumers for personal, household or business consumption.

Examples of property staging business employees who may be covered by the Retail Award include:

• stylists
• furniture movers
• drivers
• photographic employees
• administrative staff working at a retail establishment
• warehouse staff.

Example

Eden owns a property staging business. People selling their property hire her to help them style their property to make it more appealing to buyers. She also offers furniture and homewares for short term lease that she uses to ‘dress’ the property she is styling.

Eden operates a shopfront and office space from a warehouse that holds the furniture the business leases. Eden’s employees are covered by the Retail Award.

No industry award coverage

Property staging employees not covered by an industry award might be:

• covered by an occupational award such as the Clerks Award
• covered by the Miscellaneous Award, or
• award free.

Clerks Award

The Clerks Award can provide coverage if an employee’s role is mainly clerical or administrative and they don’t work at a retail establishment.

Miscellaneous Award

Employees of a property staging business can be covered by the Miscellaneous Award if:

• they’re not covered by another industry or occupational award
• they’re not a managerial or professional employee.

An employee may be considered a professional employee if their role requires a degree qualification, for example, a bachelor of interior design.

They’re classified based on their duties and qualifications.

Example

Nice Place Home Stagers styles and photographs properties for real estate listings. Edison is employed as a photographer. He has a Certificate IV in photography and digital imaging.

Edison’s employer is covered by the Retail Award. The Retail Award doesn’t have a classification for photographers.

Edison is covered by the Miscellaneous Award as a level 3 employee.

Award free

A property staging business employee not covered by an industry award, occupational award or the Miscellaneous Award will be award free.

Award free employees are entitled to the national minimum wage and the National Employment Standards.