Tax Deductions for Contact Centre Workers
Yep, it's tax time again — and with cost-of-living pressure still biting, claiming everything you're legitimately entitled to is one of the easiest ways to put some extra cash back in your pocket.
This 2026 guide, based on Australian Taxation Office (ATO) rules, walks through what contact centre workers can and can't claim — car, clothing, self-education, working from home and more.
It's a general guide, not personal tax advice: everyone's situation differs, so check with a registered tax agent or the ATO before you lodge.
The 3 golden rules
To claim a work expense: you paid for it yourself (and weren't reimbursed), it directly relates to earning your income, and you have a record to prove it.
Working from home: 67¢/hr
The ATO fixed-rate method lets you claim 67 cents for every hour worked at home — covering electricity, gas, phone, internet and consumables.
No record, no claim
A bank statement alone isn't enough — you generally need a receipt showing the cost, supplier, date and what it was for.
The Rules for Claiming a Work Deduction
Each year it seems to get tougher, but there are legitimate ways to recover some of the tax you've paid — as long as the expense relates to your employment. To claim a work-related expense, all three of these must be true:
You paid for it yourself
You spent the money and weren't reimbursed by your employer. If your employer paid for it or paid you back, you can't claim it.
It relates to earning your income
The expense must directly relate to your job. You can only claim the work-related portion — not any part that's private use.
You have a record to prove it
You need evidence — usually a receipt. Tip: the myDeductions tool in the ATO app makes it easy to track expenses and receipts across the year.
Record Keeping
One of the most important things you can do is keep good records. If you don't have the proof, you can't claim it.
A receipt must show all four of these
- The cost
- The supplier
- The date of purchase
- The nature of the goods or services
A bank or credit card statement on its own is not enough evidence. Depending on the expense, you may also need extra records — like a car logbook, or a record of the hours you work from home.
What Contact Centre Workers Can & Can't Claim
Here's how the main categories break down for contact centre and call centre workers. ✅ = generally claimable · ❌ = generally not.
Car expenses
✅ Driving directly between two separate jobs on the same day — but not if one of the places is your home (e.g. call centre → a second job).
✅ Driving to/from an alternative workplace for the same employer on the same day, or from home directly to an alternative workplace — for example, to a training centre for a work course. Plus work-related parking and tolls.
❌ Normal home-to-work trips — regardless of distance, hours, or whether you work from home some days. Working from home doesn't make your home a regular workplace, and commuting costs (fuel, tolls, parking) aren't claimable.
Claim only the work-related portion, using the logbook or cents-per-kilometre method, and be able to explain your calculation. See the ATO's car trips guide.
Clothing, laundry & footwear
✅ Buying, hiring, repairing or cleaning a compulsory uniform — distinctive to your employer (e.g. an embroidered logo shirt you're required to wear).
✅ Non-compulsory uniforms your employer has registered on the Register of Approved Occupational Clothing (check with your employer if unsure).
❌ Conventional/everyday clothing — plain black pants, business attire — even if your employer requires it and you only wear it at work.
Self-education & study
✅ Courses, seminars and training that maintain or improve the skills for your current job — such as the contact centre courses at CX Skills 😉 — or that are likely to increase your income in your current role.
❌ Study only generally related to your job, or designed to get you a new job (e.g. a call centre worker studying to become a mortgage broker).
Working from home
✅ Additional running costs of working from home. The simplest option is the fixed-rate method: 67¢ per hour, covering electricity, gas, phone, internet, stationery and consumables.
✅ Depreciating assets (office furniture, technology) can be claimed separately.
❌ Coffee, tea, milk and general household items; costs relating to your children's education (iPads, desks, online-learning subscriptions); or anything your employer provides or reimburses — a work laptop or phone, or setting up your home office.
Other work expenses
✅ The work-related portion of phone and internet costs (with records showing work use).
✅ Union and professional association fees.
✅ Logbooks, diaries and pens you use for work and your employer doesn't provide.
Gifts & donations
✅ Donations to organisations with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status. Check the organisation in the ABN Lookup tool — and confirm it had DGR status on the date you donated. Keep a receipt showing the org's name, the amount and the date.
❌ Money or gifts to family or friends, donations to churches or religious groups without DGR status, and crowdfunding pages not run by a DGR.
The golden rule on portions
For anything used both privately and for work — phone, internet, a home office — you can only claim the work-related portion, and you need records to back up how you worked it out. When in doubt, keep the receipt and ask a registered tax agent.
Commonly Rejected Claims
These are the ones people often try to claim but generally can't — and you can never claim anything your employer paid for or reimbursed:
- Home-to-work travel Normal commuting, public transport, taxis or rideshare between home and work — even for split shifts or unusual hours. Parking at your normal workplace is out too.
- Food, drinks and snacks Anything you eat or drink during your normal shift, including coffee and tea at home.
- Grooming Hairdressing, skincare products and cosmetics aren't deductible, even if you're customer-facing (well, voice-facing).
- Getting a job Compulsory pre-employment assessments (like a hearing test to qualify for the role) and the cost of getting a new job — such as paying someone to write your application.
- Childcare Childcare costs are not a work-related deduction, however necessary they are to actually get to work.
Where Does the Government Spend Our Money?
Whilst none of us love paying tax, the reality is it funds the lifestyle we enjoy here in Australia — and your tax dollars are spread across a wide range of functions.
But where, exactly? Here's how Commonwealth spending breaks down by function in the latest full Federal Budget.
| Function | Spending | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Social security & welfare | $290.9b | 37% |
| Health | $124.8b | 16% |
| General revenue assistance (to states & territories) | $99.9b | 13% |
| Education | $54.0b | 7% |
| Defence | $51.4b | 7% |
| General public services | $31.4b | 4% |
| Public debt interest | $23.9b | 3% |
| Fuel & energy | $19.2b | 2% |
| Transport & communication | $16.5b | 2% |
| All other purposes | ~$73.7b | 9% |
| Total | $785.7b | 100% |
Source: 2025–26 Federal Budget (Budget Paper No. 1); shares rounded. In the 2026–27 Budget, total spending rose to around $833 billion, with social security and welfare still the single largest function at ~$309 billion.
"I pay whatever tax I am required to pay under the law, not a penny more, not a penny less… if anybody in this country doesn't minimise their tax they want their heads read because as a government, I can tell you you're not spending it that well that we should be donating extra."
— Kerry Packer
Frequently Asked Questions
Can call centre workers claim working-from-home expenses?
Yes. If you work from home you can claim the additional running costs. The simplest option is the ATO fixed-rate method — 67 cents per hour worked at home — which covers electricity, gas, phone, internet, stationery and consumables.
You can also claim depreciating assets like office furniture separately. You must keep a record of the hours you work from home.
Can I claim my uniform and laundry?
Only for a compulsory uniform that's distinctive to your employer (for example, an embroidered logo shirt you're required to wear), or a registered non-compulsory uniform.
You can't claim conventional or everyday clothing — like plain black pants or business attire — even if your employer requires you to wear it.
Can I claim my commute to the call centre?
No. Normal trips between home and work aren't deductible — regardless of distance, your hours, or whether you work from home some days. Working from home doesn't make your home a regular workplace, so commuting costs like fuel, tolls and parking still can't be claimed.
You can claim genuine work travel: between two jobs on the same day (unless one place is home), to an alternative workplace for the same employer, or from home directly to an alternative workplace like a training centre. Claim only the work-related portion using the logbook or cents-per-kilometre method.
Can I claim charity donations?
Only donations to organisations with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status. Check the organisation in the ABN Lookup tool, and confirm it had DGR status on the date you donated. Keep a receipt showing the organisation's name, the amount and the date.
You can't claim gifts to family or friends, donations to churches or religious groups without DGR status, or crowdfunding pages not run by a DGR.
Can I claim training or a course?
Yes, if it maintains or improves the skills for your current job, or is likely to increase your income in that role — for example, customer service or contact centre courses relevant to what you do now.
You can't claim study that's only generally related to your job, or that's designed to help you get a different job.
Can I claim my phone and internet?
You can claim the work-related portion of your phone and internet costs — but you need records that show how much of your use is for work. You can't claim the private-use portion.
What records do I need to keep?
Generally a receipt showing the cost, supplier, date and nature of the purchase — a bank statement alone isn't enough. Some claims need extra records, like a car logbook or a log of your work-from-home hours.
The myDeductions tool in the ATO app makes this easy to track through the year.
Take This With You
A few things to make tax time (and the rest of the year) a little easier.
Track it with myDeductions
Use the ATO app's myDeductions tool to log expenses and photograph receipts as you go — so next tax time is painless.
ATO Call Centre GuideUpskill (and it may be deductible)
Contact centre and customer service courses that improve your current-role skills may be claimable. Browse the range at CX Skills.
View CoursesKnow your worth
See the current award rates and market salary data for Australian contact centre roles.
Current SalariesNeed a laugh?
You've done your tax — reward yourself with the signs you really work in a call centre.
Have a LaughRelated articles
Summary
With the cost of living continuing to rise, there's never been a more important time to make sure you claim every cent you're legitimately entitled to at tax time.
Remember the three golden rules: you paid for it yourself, it relates to earning your income, and you have a record to prove it. Keep good receipts, claim only the work-related portion, and use the ATO's myDeductions app to track expenses through the year.
For contact centre workers, the biggest wins are usually working-from-home running costs (67¢/hour), genuine self-education that improves your current-role skills, union fees, and the work portion of phone and internet.
This is a general guide only. For advice on your own circumstances, speak to a registered tax professional or visit ato.gov.au/callcentre.
