Note:

When working out which award applies to an employee or business, you must first consider industry awards, then occupational awards. You can find out if an award is an industry award or occupational award in the coverage clause.

If the employee can’t be covered by an industry or occupational award, then consider whether the Miscellaneous Award can apply.

The employee will only be award free if no award can apply.

Event planners organise, coordinate, and manage events from start to finish. These events can include corporate events, weddings, festivals, and private parties.

Event planners are usually responsible for:

• designing and styling events
• sourcing and liaising with vendors and suppliers
• managing event budgets set by the client
• managing marketing and communication, including design and production of marketing materials
• managing client, vendor and customer relationships
• developing floor plans and venue layout
• on-site support on the day of the event to ensure everything runs according to plan
• handling supplier and vendor logistics
• post-event reporting and evaluation.

Award coverage for event planners will depend on the industry their employer operates in and their qualifications, duties and experience.

Event planners working for event planning businesses

There isn’t an industry award that covers businesses that only provide event planning services. Event planners working for these businesses will be:

• covered by the Miscellaneous Award, or
• award free.

Miscellaneous Award

The Miscellaneous Award doesn’t cover event planners who are:

• managerial employees
• professional employees.

An employee may be considered a professional employee if their role requires a bachelor's degree or higher qualification.

Award free

An event planner working for an event planning business who isn’t covered by the Miscellaneous Award will be award free.

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

Example

Valley and Veil is a business that provides wedding planning, styling, and coordination services. It employs wedding planners, coordinators, event stylists and administration assistants.

Potential customers can make appointments over the phone or in person to meet with a planner, stylist or coordinator depending on their needs.

Valley and Veil isn’t covered by an industry award.

Taleena works as a wedding planner for Valley and Veil. She holds a diploma in event management.

Taleena meets with customers to understand their wedding vision and budget. She then liaises with vendors to plan the wedding within the customers’ budget.

On the day of the wedding Taleena attends the site and oversees set up, pack down and overall logistics for the day to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Taleena is covered by the Miscellaneous Award because:

• there’s no occupational award that fits her role and duties
• she’s not a professional or managerial employee.

She’s classified as a level 4 employee because of her duties, and because she’s performing work related to her diploma qualification.

Event planners working for employers in other industries

Industry award coverage

Event planners may work for businesses that are covered by the:

• Retail Award
• Hospitality Award
• Restaurant Award
• Amusement Award
• Registered Clubs Award.

An event planner will only be covered by an industry award if there’s a classification for their role.

See Award classifications for more information on how to classify employees.

If you’re unclear whether the award that covers the employer has a classification that fits the role, you may wish to contact us for assistance or seek your own independent advice.

Tip:

While the FWO can provide general guidance, only a court or tribunal can make determinations about whether a particular award applies to an employee.

Example - Hospitality Award

The Vine About It Hotel is connected to a vineyard and winery. It provides accommodation and is a popular venue for weddings and corporate functions.

The Hotel is covered by the Hospitality Award.

Reza manages the events team at the Vine About It Hotel. He manages a small team of event planners, schedules and manages bookings and ensures that business relationships between the hotel and various vendors are maintained.

When a potential client makes an enquiry, Reza will assign one of his event planners to provide information on the services available.

Once the client decides to have their event at the hotel, Reza will provide organisational support to the event planner during the planning and be on call on the day of the event to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Reza looks through the Hospitality Award and sees that the business meets the definition of a hotel and his role and level of responsibility can be covered under the managerial staff (hotels) stream.

Reza is covered by the Hospitality Award.

No industry award coverage

Event planners working for employers covered by industry awards with no classification for them may be:

• covered by the Miscellaneous Award, or
• award free.

Example - Miscellaneous Award

Sandrella works as an event planner in Reza's team. She’s worked with the business for 5 years and doesn’t have a qualification relevant to her work.

Once a customer is assigned to her, she will work with them within their budget to select and execute one of the hotel’s events packages. She’s supported by Reza in her work.

On the day of the event, Sandrella attends the venue to oversee set up and pack down and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

The Hospitality Award doesn’t have a classification that fits with Sandrella’s main duties and responsibilities.

Sandrella is covered by the Miscellaneous Award. She’s classified as a level 2 employee.