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WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS - April 2026

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:41:31 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

Fair Work Commission (FWC) Abolishes Junior Rates for 18 years+ in 3 Awards

On 6 June 2024, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) applied to change junior rates in 3 awards.

A Fair Work Commission (FWC) Full Bench today has issued its decision to increase rates of pay for junior employees aged 18 years+ in the following 3 awards:

General Retail Industry Award 2020
Fast Food Industry Award 2020
Pharmacy Industry Award 2020

The FWC accepted that the discounted rates in the retail, fast food and pharmacy awards for workers aged 18, 19 and 20 should be removed, for work value reasons and to comply with the Fair Work Act's modern award and minimum wages objectives.

Next steps

The Full Bench will hear from the parties further on the timing and transitional arrangements. Their provisional view is that the changes will be phased in over time starting from 1 December 2026, with the final changes to happen from 1 July 2029. Refer to table below. We will keep you updated.

Court Orders Woolworths to Pay Big Fine to Meat Union

A court has fined Woolworths $233,250 for denying 3 part-time employees’ standard rosters, guaranteed hours and overtime pay, citing a lack of evidence ‘at the corporate level’ and awarding the full sum to the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union to encourage its enforcement work.

KFC to Pay $29 Million over Rest Breaks

KFC has settled a class action over rest breaks for tens of millions of dollars in a deal that could set the standard for even bigger litigation facing fast food giant McDonald’s.

KFC and more than 80 franchisees have agreed to pay $28.8 million to thousands of current and former staff who alleged they were not provided 10 minute breaks during shifts from 2017 to 2023.

Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) Cracking Down on Sham Contracting

The Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have announced that they are ramping up their focus on sham contracting.

ATO Assistant Commissioner, Tony Goding, said that data continues to uncover employer behaviour that ‘doesn’t contractually add up’.

The Fair Work Ombudsman, Anna Booth, reminded employers that beyond unlawfully mislabelling a worker as a contractor, ‘employers also must not knowingly say something false or misleading to convince an employee to become a contractor to do the same work, or dismiss an employee to engage them as a contractor to do the same work.’

CPI

All Groups CPI annual inflation was 3.7 per cent in the 12 months to February 2026, down from 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026.

CPI for Hobart was 4% for the 12 months to February 2026.

Annual Wage Review

Last year’s annual wage review delivered a 3.5% rise in all award rates and the national minimum wage.

This year the ACTU is seeking a 5% rise and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry a 3.5% increase. The Federal Government said it would lodge a submission to the annual wage review recommending the Fair Work Commission (FWC) award an ‘economically sustainable real wage increase’.

What Employers can Expect in 2026

JULY 2026 PAY DAY SUPERANNUATION

Employers must pay superannuation on the same day as wages or salaries.

Late payments will incur the superannuation guarantee charge with daily compounding interest.

1 JULY 2026 PAID PARENTAL LEAVE EXTENSION

The Federal Government-funded paid parental leave scheme continues to evolve in 2026, with eligible parents entitlement increasing up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave.

CHANGES TO GENERAL PROTECTIONS INVOLVING UNFAIR DISMISSAL APPLICATION CLAIMS

In response to increased dismissal-related claims in 2025, the FWC is reviewing its case management process.

WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS - December 2025

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 22:15:20 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

GET IT RIGHT OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

Employers need to start planning for the holiday season.

REMINDERS

Employers can ask employees to work on a public holiday, but the request has to be reasonable. An employee can refuse a request to work, if they have reasonable grounds.
Employees (except casuals) who do not work, as a public holiday falls on a day they normally work, should be paid their ordinary hours for that day. An employee’s roster cannot be changed to deliberately avoid this payment.
If a public holiday falls on a day an Employee does not normally work, they do not get paid.
If you are closing-down over Christmas, ensure you follow the rules specified in the Award/Contract of Employment.
If an employee continues to work during a close-down, they should receive their normal pay, based on the hours they work.
Ensure you pay Employees correctly who work on a public holiday. Refer to their Award/Contract of Employment.

COMPLIANCE

Over the holiday season, ensure you your business remains compliant by:

Paying all employees correctly, including juniors and apprentices.
Ensure the business is abiding by the employees terms and conditions of employment
Ensure all paperwork is up to date and completed properly.

FACT

Annual leave starts to accrue as soon as an employee commences work, and an employee can take accrued leave at any time that is convenient to both the employer and employee.

Workplace Myth: Employees must work for the business for 12 months before they can take annual leave.

ANNUAL LEAVE LOADING

Annual leave loading is an extra payment some employees receive when taking annual leave, 17.5% on top of their pay. It's designed to compensate for the loss of potential overtime or penalty rates while on leave. It is common in many modern awards, and it is also paid out on termination on unused accumulated leave.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Upcoming 2025 public holidays and 2026 public holidays in each State and Territory, for your information.

For specific info on regional holidays etc. click on additional links relevant to your State or Territory.

HOW TO HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY WORK PARTY

There’s nothing like celebrating a year of hard work with a well-earned party. But if you are a business owner, do not forget to prepare with some health and safety considerations.

Important to remind employees of their responsibilities and guidelines for behaviour at work related social events and make sure employees are aware of your workplace policy.

WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS - November 2025

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 04:17:18 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

ALWAYS ASK EMPLOYEES IF THEY WANT TO WORK PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, OR RISK BEING FINED

B HP's in-house labour hire company has been fined $15,000 by the Federal Court and ordered to pay 85 production employees between $800 and $2,400 each in compensation for unreasonably requiring them to work across Christmas holidays.

The workers were directed to work public holidays with no consultation or agreement.

The penalties and compensation are the first to follow a precedent ruling by the full court that held the Fair Work Act requires all employers to ask employees if they want to work public holidays and prevents them from automatically rostering them on.

The requirement applies regardless of agreements and contracts and extends to all sectors of the economy, from fast food and retail to logistics and health.

The principle here is that Australian workers can raise reasonable grounds to refuse to work on public holidays.

This judgment is a message to all employers that they must comply with Australian workplace law and community expectations.

Please contact us if you require assistance.

$358 MILLION BACK PAID TO AUSTRALIAN WORKERS

The Fair Work Ombudsman recovered $358 million for more than 249,000 underpaid workers in 2024-25, taking back payments to workers to more than $2 billion across the last 5 years.

The back payments and court penalties figures are detailed in their Annual Report.

FAIR WORK COMMISSION RECEIVED 7 RIGHT TO DISCONNECT CLAIMS LAST FINANCIAL YEAR

The Fair Work Commission received 7 Right to Disconnect applications in the past financial year, according to its annual report.

The Right to Disconnect took effect on 26 August 2024, to protect employees who refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from an employer or third party outside of their working hours, unless that refusal is unreasonable.

Please note that the Right to Disconnect laws did not apply to small businesses until 26 August 2025.

Under the Fair Work Act, the Fair Work Commission can deal with disputes about the Right to Disconnect that are not resolved in the workplace.

Of the applications it received, 4 were for ‘stop’ orders; 1 was for an order to ‘stop and deal with a dispute’; and 2 were applications to deal with a dispute.

It is recommended that businesses have a Right to Disconnect Policy to ensure employees clearly understand this new law and avoid confusion down the track.

Please contact us if you require a policy.

BABY PRIYA’S BILL PASSES PARLIAMENT

Baby Priya’s bill has passed Parliament, after the Senate endorsed it without amendments.

New protections apply to employer funded paid parental leave in the event of stillbirth or the death of a child. The protection applies on or after 7 November 2025.

FIXED TERM CONTRACT STATEMENT UPDATED

The Fair Work Ombudsman has released a new Fixed Term Contract Information Statement .

It has also published new information on its website, setting out changes that apply to the fixed-term contract exceptions, in effect from 1 November 2025.

PAY DAY SUPER IS COMING JULY 2026

Employers will be required from July 2026 to make super contributions within 7 calendar days of paying their workers' wages and salaries, after enabling legislation passed Parliament.

For further information refer to the ATO website link .

HOW TO HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY WORK PARTY

There’s nothing like celebrating a year of hard work with a well-earned party. But if you are a business owner, do not forget to prepare with some health and safety considerations.

Important to remind employees of their responsibilities and guidelines for behaviour at work related social events.

Please contact us if you require a policy.

WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS - October 2025

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:16:50 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

APPLICATION BY SDA TO REMOVE JUNIOR RATES FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE 18 YEARS OR OLDER FROM 3 AWARDS

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) has applied to change (vary) the minimum rates for junior employees in 3 awards.

The SDA has applied to change the following 3 awards:

General Retail Industry Award 2020
Fast Food Industry Award 2020
Pharmacy Industry Award 2020

The application seeks to remove junior rates for employees who are 18 years or older from these awards.

A Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission will hear all evidence between Monday 27 October and Friday 7 November 2025.

We will keep you informed.

FAIR WORK COMMISSION CONFRONTS ‘MASSIVE’ WORKLOAD SURGE

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) is seeking to improve efficiency as it is faced with unsustainable growth in its caseload.

It has been reported that unfair dismissal claims have surged 27% past their long-term average. If this trend continues it will reach 50,000 applications for the financial year 2026.

Australian Industry Group said employers were increasingly sharing concerns about getting dragged into the FWC for cases with no merit in what were blatant attempts to game the system to secure ‘go away money’.

The FWC will soon require employees to articulate their cases ‘more rigorously, hold shorter conferences only concerned with settlement and terminate mediation if neither of the parties want to settle.

FEDERAL COURT DECISION – WOOLWORTHS & COLES UNDERPAYMENTS – SALARIED STAFF

Further to our September 2025 Blog :

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) , National Retail Association (NRA) , Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) , Business Council of Australia (BCA) and Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) said in a joint statement that the decision will result in higher costs, an increased compliance burden and reduced productivity.

It also highlights the onerous nature of requirements to keep detailed records of hours worked and award entitlements, even in circumstances where an employee may be paid an annual salary that significantly exceeds the value of entitlements, the statement reads.

As per the judgement, salaries, including at senior levels, cannot be used to offset award entitlements on an annual basis, as has been a longstanding practice across most industries.

The peak bodies are calling for sensible steps to simplify the workplace relations system, including addressing the complex system of awards and unrealistic record keeping requirements.

RULES AND ENTITLEMENTS DURING THE END-OF-YEAR HOLIDAY SEASON

Employers and employees need to start planning for the end-of-year holiday season.

Many businesses get busier this time of year and may need their employees to work more hours and on public holidays. Other businesses may shut down (also known as a ‘close down’) or reduce their staff numbers.

Find out about the rules and entitlements during the end-of-year holiday season that may affect you.

Please contact us if you require any assistance.

WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2025

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 23:49:57 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

WOOLWORTHS & COLES UNDERPAYMENTS

In a matter spanning over a decade, the Federal Court, on September 5, determined that both supermarket companies had paid workers their salaries without accurately tracking other entitlements owed under the General Retail Industry Award (Retail Award).

The supermarket companies are expected to repay millions of dollars to current and former employees.

Since employees were paid a salary, the court found Woolworths and Coles had failed to keep detailed records of overtime hours, penalty rates, rosters and clock-in, clock out data that were not easily accessible to inspectors.

The supermarkets are not expected to decide on whether to appeal the decision, until early next year. A case management hearing has been listed for October 27 to determine the full remediation sum.

Business lobby groups have said the Federal Court finding was proof that the regulatory system is too complex.

The Australian Retail Association said ‘With 994 different pay rates across almost 100 pages, the Retail Award is incredibly difficult for employers to understand. It is clearly not fit for purpose for larger employers.’

‘The expectation that smaller mum-and-dad operated businesses, who lack legal and HR resources, can use the award appropriately is entirely unreasonable.’

We will keep you informed.

FWO AND ATO JOINED FORCES

DARWIN FOOD BUSINESSES UNDER INVESTIGATION

Recently the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) joined forces, as part of Operation Sentinel, to conduct a series or surprise visits to food sector and hospitality businesses in Darwin.

The ATO Assistant Commissioner, said ‘Cooking the books by ripping off your workers and dodging your tax and super obligations does not pass the pub test. We will find out about it and take action’.

The FWO said, ‘Protecting workers’ rights and holding food sector employers to account is a priority for the FWO.’

FWO AND BORDER FORCE INSPECTIONS

SYDNEY BUSINESSES TARGETED

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) and Australian Border Force (ABF) made surprise inspections of Sydney businesses employing migrant workers.

FWO checked time and wage records, including pay slips, to ensure that vulnerable migrant workers are being paid their correct wages and entitlements.

They also checked recent job advertisements to ensure they met the requirements of the Fair Work Act, and educated employers on recent changes to workplace laws, such as the right to disconnect.

ABF officers provided employers with information about migrant worker protections under the Migrations Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Act, which came into effect in July last year to combat the exploitation of temporary migrant workers. ABF officers also checked that visa holders were not subject to exploitation.

RIGHT TO DISCONNECT LAWS

WHAT IS REASONABLE CONTACT?

As you are aware, the Right to Disconnect laws applied to small businesses from 26 August 2025. These rules already apply to non-small businesses.

Employees have the right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact (or attempted contact) outside their working hours, unless doing so is reasonable .

The best way to make sense of ‘reasonable’ is to look at the situations most businesses face;

Clearly reasonable
Contacting an employee about a genuine safety issue or urgent customer matter. Example - being locked out of a workplace or needing to fill a shift after a last-minute cancellation.

Clearly unreasonable
Messaging late at night about routine matters that can wait. Example asking questions about a project due in a week.

Borderline
Requests that fall into the grey zone. Example - asking a manager to join a late-night call.

A simple test helps - Is this truly urgent, or does the employer just want it off their desk? If it’s the latter, schedule it for business hours. This is where clear internal guidelines become essential.

Simple actions that can make a difference:

If it’s urgent be clear in email
Use delayed send on emails and messages
Add an after-hours disclaimer in email signature – let employees know you don’t expect an immediate reply outside their working hours.
Plan ahead to reduce last minute, after-hours contact

Small actions like these demonstrate commitment, protect employees’ wellbeing, and keep you on the right side of the law.

Employers should set the expectations and guidelines now to avoid disputes down the track. Clarity is good business.

WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS - AUGUST 2025

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 02:16:44 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

NEW RULES FOR SMALL BUSINESS (from 26 August 2025)

On 26 August 2025, new laws will start for small businesses and their employees. These changes relate to the right to disconnect and the ‘employee choice’ pathway for casual employees.

RIGHT TO DISCONNECT

Employees can refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact or attempted contact, outside their working hours, unless their refusal is unreasonable.

'EMPLOYEE CHOICE' PATHWAY FOR CASUALS
From 26 August 2025, eligible casuals in small businesses can notify their employer in writing of their intention to change to full time or part time employment. This is called the ‘employee choice’ pathway. A casual employee can also choose to remain casual.

The employer must respond to any requests they receive. They may also refuse the request in some circumstances.

>> FURTHER READING from the Fair Work Commission New Rules for Small Business Factsheet on what you can do to make sure you are prepared.

RECENT REDUNDANCY DECISION

Following the High Court’s decision, an employer undertaking a restructure, needs to ensure that it has broadly considered its redeployment obligations. The Commission can legitimately consider whether an employer could have made operational changes to ensure redeployment.

The decision reinforces that employers must go beyond checking whether vacancies exist when assessing redeployment. If contractors are performing ongoing work that could reasonably be undertaken by affected employees, the employer must factor this into its redeployment analysis.

In any restructure, to ensure that an employer is immune from unfair dismissal claims, employers need to consider whether they could have made changes to how it uses its workforce to operate, so as to create or make available a position for an employee who would otherwise have been terminated due to redundancy. Simply asserting that the organisation gave consideration to open and available roles, is unlikely to satisfy the legislative requirements for a "genuine redundancy".

Please contact us if you require any assistance with redundancies and compliance.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

Independent contractors (contractors) provide services for another business or person instead of being employed by them. They usually negotiate their own fees and working arrangements and can work for more than one client at a time. Contractors don’t have the same rights and obligations as employees.

The test for working out if someone is a contractor or an employee changed last year.

>> FURTHER READING from the Fair Work Ombudsman Find Help for Independent Contractors .

MYTH OR FACT

'YOU ONLY NEED TO PROVIDE POLICIES AT INDUCTION'
Employers should take employees through workplace policies during induction and keep a record of this, as one of the ‘reasonable steps’ taken by the employer, to address inappropriate and unlawful behaviours at work. However, for certain types of behaviour, this alone is not enough.

To avoid being held vicariously liable for the acts of employees in the workplace, such as acts of discrimination or harassment, employers need to show they have taken all ‘reasonable steps’, to prevent employees from engaging in inappropriate and unlawful behaviour.

We recommend that policies are provided at induction, and all employees are provided with refreshers regularly.

Changes to federal anti-discrimination laws introduced a ‘positive duty’, requiring employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate, as far as possible, conduct that includes sex discrimination, sexual harassment, harassment on the ground of sex, a hostile workplace environment and victimisation in the workplace.

Training on policies at induction will not be enough to satisfy the 'positive duty'.

Please contact us if you require assistance ensuring your policies are up to date and compliant.

Workplace Relations News - July 2025

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:36:05 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

MINIMUM WAGES INCREASE
A reminder that award wages increase by 3.5%, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2025.

Employees covered under Registered Agreements may also receive an increase - refer to information in your Agreement. A reminder that the base rate in a Registered Agreement cannot be less than the base rate in the relevant award.

INFORMATION STATEMENTS - LATEST VERSIONS
Employers must give every new employee a copy of the fair work information statement before, or as soon as possible after they start their new job.

Employers must also give every new casual employee a copy of the casual employment information statement at the same time.

When an employee enters a new fixed term contract, they must also be given a copy of the fixed term contract information statement.

RIGHT TO DISCONNECT STARTS SOON FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Right to disconnect laws apply to small business (with less than 15 employees) from Tuesday 26 August 2025.

These laws already apply to other businesses.

The right to disconnect gives employees the right to refuse to mentor, read or respond to contact (or attempted contact) outside their working hours, unless doing so is unreasonable. This includes contact (or attempted contact) from an employer or a third party.

For further information refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman link

Workplace Relations News - May 2025

Sun, 18 May 2025 22:41:14 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

SDA BID TO LIFT JUNIOR RATES

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) will, by the end of the year, hold a 3-4 week hearing of a SDA union bid to lift junior rates in the retail, fast food and pharmacy awards for under-18 workers and abolish them altogether for adults, after employers sought more time to respond to the "most significant proposal" to target these workers.

According to amended directions published this week, the FWC will list a full bench hearing between September and December after granting an Australian Industry Group request for a 6 week extension to file their material.

REMINDERS

MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES FROM 1 JULY 2025

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) usually hands down the National Minimum Wage decision in early June, with the increase to take effect from the first pay period on or after 1 July.

In 2024 the wage increase was 3.75%, and in 2023 increase was 5.75%.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR CHANGES

There have been changes to definitions and protections for independent contractors. These changes started on  26 August 2024.

Refer to link for further information.

MYTH - If a worker has an Australian Business Number (ABN), they are an independent contractor and minimum pay rates don’t apply.

FACT - Having an ABN does not automatically make a worker an independent contractor. Fair Work inspectors apply tests of fact and law to determine whether a worker’s correct classification is as an independent contractor or an employee. Whether an employer has labelled a worker as a contractor and required them to obtain an ABN is not conclusive.

NO MORE NON-COMPETE CLAUSES

The Government announced plans as part of the 2025-26 Federal Budget to reform non-compete restraint of trade clauses in Australia.

The Government plans to ban non-compete clauses for workers who earn less than the high-income threshold prescribed under the Fair Work Act.

The Government’s proposal also includes plans to reform Australian competition laws to ‘close loopholes’ in competition law that currently allow businesses to:

fix wages by making anti-competitive arrangements that cap workers’ pay and conditions, without the knowledge and agreement of affected workers; and
use ‘no-poach’ agreements to block workers from being hired by competitors.

The Government has said that it will consult on the changes, which will take effect from 2027, following the passage of new legislation and operate prospectively. The Government also flagged possible changes to non‑solicitation clauses for clients and co‑workers, and non‑compete clauses for high‑income workers.

Please contact us if you require any assistance.

Workplace Relations News - March 2025

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 21:35:24 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS

CHANGES TO CASUAL EMPLOYMENT RULES - REMINDER

Casual employment rules changed on 26 August 2024, including new pathways to permanent employment that started on 26 February 2025.

CASUAL CHANGES

From 26 February 2025, eligible casuals can provide written notice to their employer to change to full-time or part-time employment under the new employee choice pathway. An employer can only refuse the notice for certain reasons.

INFORMATION STATEMENT REMINDER

Employers must give every new employee certain Information Statements when they start work. The Casual Employment Information Statement must be provided at set times throughout a casual’s employment.

Learn more and download copies of:

casual employees and how casual work is defined (which also changed on 26 August 2024)
pathways to permanent employment , including who is eligible, how a notice can be made and how employers must respond.
Fair Work Information Statement
Casual Employment Information Statement
Fixed Term Contract Information Statement .

Please contact us if you require any assistance.

Workplace Relations News - December 2024

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 04:43:36 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS

NEW CRIMINAL UNDERPAYMENT LAWS START 1 JANUARY 2025

From 1 January 2025, intentionally underpaying an employee’s wages or entitlements can be a criminal offence. The Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s supporting guide is now available to help businesses prepare and protect themselves.

What’s Changing
From 1 January 2025, intentionally underpaying an employee’s wages or entitlements can be a criminal offence. This doesn’t include honest mistakes.

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) can investigate suspected criminal underpayment offences and refer suitable matters for criminal prosecution. If a person is convicted of a criminal offence, a court can impose fines, prison time, or both.

There are protections in place for businesses to avoid criminal prosecution. This includes the Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code (Code) and cooperation agreements.

Code and Guide
The FWO can’t refer a small business employer’s conduct, for possible criminal prosecution, if they are satisfied that the Code has been complied with, in relation to an underpayment.

A small business employer will comply with the Code, if they don’t intend to underpay their employees. This will be assessed by looking at several factors. These factors aren’t new to compliant employers. Instead, they are steps many already take, as part of good business practice.

Find out more @ Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code .

Guide to Help you Understand the Code
The FWO Guide to paying employees correctly and the Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code can help businesses to understand the Code. It offers practical advice and tools including a handy checklist, examples and best practice tips.

CHANGES TO ENTRY-LEVEL CLASSIFICATIONS IN SOME MODERN AWARDS

From 1 January 2025, 45 modern awards will be varied to ensure that the lowest classification applying to ongoing employment has a minimum rate of pay of at least the ‘C13’ rate (currently $915.90 per week). These changes will also be made to the Horticulture Award 2020 and Pastoral Award 2020 from 1 April 2025.

Entry-level classifications in these awards with a rate of pay below the C13 rate will either be increased to a C13 rate or changed to ensure that employees transition to a classification with a C13 or above rate of pay within 6 months of commencing.

Find out more @ Changes to entry level classifications in modern awards.

RECENT CHANGES THAT HAVE STARTED

There have been other recent changes to workplace laws.

These include:

changes to casual employment
a new right to disconnect
independent contractor changes
new regulated worker rules.

Find out more @ Closing Loopholes.

For a visual snapshot of all the Closing Loopholes changes and when they start, check out the FWO Closing Loopholes - Visual Snapshot.

Workplace Relations News - October 2024

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 23:12:30 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS

New laws carrying criminal penalties for deliberate wage underpayment are scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2025.

These reforms, part of the Federal Government’s “Closing Loopholes” legislative package, aim to tackle wage theft more decisively, imposing severe criminal penalties on businesses that intentionally underpay their workers. Non-small businesses will need to be especially vigilant.

It is important that all businesses, be they small, medium or large, take steps now to ensure they are confident their wage payment practices are compliant - before the new laws come into effect on 1 January 2025.

DEFINING SMALL vs NON-SMALL BUSINESSES
To understand the reach of these laws, it is essential to define what constitutes a small business under the Fair Work Act (2009). A small business is generally classified as one with fewer than 15 employees. For these businesses, the new laws are still relevant, but the enforcement framework is more lenient, recognising the administrative and resource limitations of smaller operators.

On the other hand, non-small businesses, with 15 or more employees, are subject to stricter compliance requirements and will face the brunt of the criminal sanctions for deliberate wage underpayment. Larger businesses, which have greater capacity to manage compliance, will be held to higher standards and face increased scrutiny when the new laws come into effect.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR DELIBERATE WAGE UNDERPAYMENT
At the core of the new legislation, is the criminalisation of deliberate wage underpayment. From 1 January 2025, non-small businesses that intentionally or recklessly underpay their workers will face criminal penalties. Under these laws, deliberate wage underpayment is defined as knowingly or recklessly failing to meet wage obligations, where there is a clear understanding that employees are being underpaid.

For companies found guilty of deliberate wage theft, the consequences are severe. They include:

Up to 10 years imprisonment for individuals responsible for the underpayment.
Fines of $7.8 million for corporations ($1.56 million for individuals), or 3x the underpayment, whichever is higher

These penalties represent a significant escalation from previous civil sanctions and highlight the government’s commitment to stamping out wage theft. By framing deliberate wage underpayment as a criminal act, the law signals a clear message to businesses: wage theft will not be tolerated.

CIVIL PENALITIES FOR NON-DELIBERATE UNDERPAYMENT
While criminal penalties are reserved for deliberate wage theft, non-deliberate underpayment will continue to be addressed through civil mechanisms. These cases typically arise when businesses fail to meet their wage obligations due to administrative errors, misinterpretations of award conditions, or other inadvertent oversights.

Civil penalties can still involve substantial fines and orders for back payment, but they lack the criminal implications of imprisonment or punitive corporate fines. This distinction ensures that businesses acting in good faith, but still making mistakes can rectify their errors, without facing the same legal consequences as those engaging in intentional wage theft.

VICARIOUS LIABILITY
A significant aspect of the new legislation involves the concept of vicarious liability. Under the Fair Work Act (2009), large companies and franchisors can be held responsible for wage underpayments that occur within their networks, even if they are not directly involved in setting wages.

This principle of vicarious liability was highlighted in the first Franchisor Liability case pursued by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO). In this landmark case, a franchisor was held responsible for wage underpayments committed by a franchisee. The ruling established that franchisors must take active steps to prevent wage theft across their networks, including monitoring compliance and ensuring franchisees understand their wage obligations.

QUANTUM OF PENALTIES & INDUSTRY REPUTATIONAL RISK
The penalties for businesses found guilty of deliberate wage underpayment are steep. Along with the up to $7.8 million in fines for corporations, individual executives could face up to 10 years of imprisonment. Beyond these legal and financial consequences, companies caught underpaying workers will also face reputational damage. Public exposure of wage theft scandals can harm brand trust, erode consumer confidence, and result in long-term damage to a company’s market position.

For non-deliberate wage underpayments, the civil penalties remain significant, including fines, back payment orders, and potential compensation to affected employees. The Fair Work Ombudsman has made it clear that non-compliance, even when unintentional, will not be tolerated, though such cases will not attract the same criminal consequences as deliberate wage theft.

A NEW ERA OF WAGE ENFORMCEMENT
The new wage underpayment laws represent a seismic shift in how Australia deals with wage theft.

With the new laws set to commence on 1 January 2025, it is recommended that businesses review and strengthen their wage compliance frameworks now.

Workplace Relations News - August 2024

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 23:04:12 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS

PREPARE FOR CHANGES TO WORKPLACE LAWS

A reminder of the changes to workplace laws starting on 26 August 2024 as part of the Closing Loopholes reforms.

They include changes to casual employment, right to disconnect and independent contractors.

We recommend you read the following links on the Fair Work Ombudsman website:

Casual Employment Changes
Righ t to Disconnect
Independent Contractor Changes

WHAT'S NEXT

We recommend you contact us if you need any assistance in understanding these changes and how they relate to your business. It’s important you are aware of your employer obligations.

Workplace Relations News - July 2024

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 21:53:48 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS

APPLICATION LODGED TO ABOLISH SOME JUNIOR RATES IN 3 AWARDS

In June 2024, the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) applied to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to abolish junior pay rates for half a million young workers.

The application seeks to apply the full adult rates to all workers 18 years or older, covered by the following awards:

General Retail Industry Award
Fast Food Industry Award
Pharmacy Industry Award

Business groups have blasted the application, labelling it as ‘unrealistic’ and ‘catastrophic’. Further they advised that taking on a worker with minimal experience requires extra risk and extra effort - they do not have the life experience that older adults have. Having no junior pay rates would make hiring young people far less attractive to businesses.

The FWC, on 1 July 2024, provided directions that any parties supporting the SDA application should file a submission by Tuesday 29 October 2024. Any party opposing the SDA application should file and outline of submission by 11 March 2025.

At this stage there has been no actual change to junior rates.

We will keep you updated as the application goes through the Fair Work process.

REMINDER: SPECIAL AWARD RATES FOR JUNIORS WORKING AROUND ALCOHOL

Some awards that entitle juniors to be paid special rates for selling and serving alcohol are:

Hospitality Award
Restaurant Award
Clubs Award

It is recommended you check your award to see if juniors serving liquor are paid at adult rates.

Juniors covered by these awards who sell or serve alcohol, including as part of their general waiting duties, have to be paid the adult rate for their classification regardless of their age.

Examples of when special rates may apply, include when a junior employee:

sells alcohol to a seated customer in a restaurant
pours alcohol drinks for service
takes an order for alcohol from a customer
delivers alcohol (poured by bar staff) to a customer
hands an alcohol beverage to a customer at the register
sells alcohol to customers in a casino

Each state and territory regulates the training requirements for responsible service of alcohol.

PUSH FOR 5 WEEKS ANNUAL LEAVE

The SDA and ACTU have advanced a push to increase the standard annual leave entitlement for all permanent employees from 4 weeks to 5 weeks per annum.

This proposal is in its infancy and there has been no change at this point.

We will keep you updated as the debate unfolds.

AWARD CHANGES

Awards are regularly updated by the Fair Work Commission (FWC). A major change to an Award can include changing entitlements, responsibilities and conditions for employers and employees covered by an Award.

Recent changes include:

05/07/2024 - Changes to rosters and overtime in General Retail Industry Award, refer link for further information.
01/07/2024 - the Fair Work Commission has inserted a delegates rights term into Modern Awards.

Keep up to date.
Contact us if you wish to be informed about any workplace changes that may affect you.

EMPLOYMENT RECORDS

If you employ people, you have to keep employment records. You are legally required to keep some employment records for 7 years, such as:

employee details including information about pay, leave and hours of work
reimbursement of work-related expenses
workers compensation insurance for each employee
superannuation contribution amounts

Whilst not all employee records have to be kept, it is best practice to keep other records to provide a full employment history. These include:

resumes and job applications
performance reviews
trade or registration certificates.

For further information, refer to Fair Work Ombudsman fact sheet link on record keeping and pay slip requirements.

WORKPLACE MYTHS

MYTH: Employees must work for you for 12 months before they accrue leave.
FACT: All leave starts to accrue as soon as an employee commences work.

MYTH: You can fire an employee without notice, during their probation period.
FACT: Full time or part time employees on probation, 3 or 6 months, must get at least 1 week’s written notice (unless they are fired for serious misconduct). The employer must also follow proper process.

Workplace Relations News - June 2024

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 01:30:17 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS NEWS

MINIMUM WAGES INCREASE FROM 1 JULY 2024

A reminder that award wages increase from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2024.

Employees covered under a Registered Agreement may also receive an increase - refer to information in your Agreement.

A reminder that the base rate in a Registered Agreement cannot be less than the base rate in the relevant award.

INFORMATION STATEMENTS - LATEST VERSIONS

Employers must give every new employee a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement before, or as soon as possible after they start their new job.

Employers must also give every new casual employee a copy of the Casual Employment Information Statement at the same time.

When an employee enters a new fixed term contract, they must also be given a copy of the Fixed Term Contract Information Statement

CLOSING LOOPHOLES CHANGES
A reminder that there have been changes to the Fair Work Act as part of the new ‘Closing Loopholes’ laws.

1 July 2024:

New rules for right of entry permits and exemption certificates
Rights and protections for workplace delegates under award, enterprise agreements and workplace determinations
Criminal offence of industrial manslaughter added to the Work Health and Safety Act and increase to other penalties
New end dates for the additional fixed term contract exemptions

You can access a visual snapshot summarising the changes and listing the key start dates.

SUPPORTING YOUR BUSINESS

Ensure your internal operations are compliant with current Australian Employment Law. A solid employment framework should protect your business in the event of a claim. Has your business had a yearly compliance check?

Our aim is to help Employers understand the rules and keep up with the changes. Navigating the system often requires specialist guidance and advice.

If you have any Questions, need Advice or Assistance to discuss how these changes specifically impact your business, or any other Workplace Relations matter - please don't hesitate to contact us. Phone or Email Tania, for Clarity & Peace of Mind - so you can focus on customer satisfaction and growing your business.

We look forward to continuing to work together, supporting your business into the future.

Workplace Relations News - National Minimum Wage

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:28:50 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

FAIR WORK COMMISSION ORDERS 3.75% RISE IN AWARD RATES (NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE)

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) expert panel has today approved a 3.75% increase in all Award Rates and the National Minimum Wage.

This increase will apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2024. This means if your weekly pay period starts on Wednesday, the new rates will apply from Wednesday 3 July 2024.

Please contact us if you have any queries on how this increase specifically impacts your business.

The decision will lift the National Minimum Wage from $882.80 to $915.90 a week and from $23.23 to $24.10 an hour.

The FWC rebuffed the ACTU's bid for an immediate additional 4% for workers in highly-feminised industries, instead committing to a timetable to address the issue over the next 12 months.

FWC President and panel head Adam Hatcher said cost of living pressures provided the primary consideration for the panel's deliberations on the minimum wage and award rates.

It had taken into account the Stage 3 tax cuts and Federal Budget cost-of-living measures in its decision.

Justice Hatcher said this morning that the Commission will soon initiate proceedings to "examine and address" gender undervaluation in 5 highly-feminised awards.

The awards apply to early childhood education and care workers, disability care workers and other social and community services workers, dental assistants, medical technicians, psychologists and other health professionals, and pharmacists.

The Commission will address further awards subject to gender undervaluation after it completes the initial process, which is to be finalised within 12 months.

Justice Hatcher said there had been insufficient time since the Commission released its research on the subject in April to provide the parties "a full opportunity" to "adduce evidence and make submissions" and ensure a fair process.

The ACTU sought an increase for workers in highly-feminised industries of 9% , comprising the 5% it sought across all award rates and an additional 4%.

In last year's annual wage review ruling, Justice Hatcher said that future cases would need to address gender-based pay equity.

He said 12 months ago that the panel identified "significant issues concerning the potential gender undervaluation of work and modern award minimum wage rates applied to female dominated industries and occupations".

Justice Hatcher said at the time that the "scope and timing of the present review has prevented these gender equality issues being addressed to finality".

"However, the imperative of the amendments made by the Parliament to the Fair Work Act last year concerning gender equality is that these issues must be resolved in future reviews or other commission proceedings," he said in the 2023 ruling.

The ACTU made its bid for an extra 4% after the president invited parties to respond to in-house research on gender-based occupational segregation conducted as part of this year's wage review.

Today's decision follows the Albanese Government making submissions asking for the third successive year that the panel ensure that the real wages of low-paid workers "do not go backwards".

ACCI (Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) supported an increase of 2% and AiG (Australian Industry Group) 2.8%.

The panel – Justice Hatcher, Vice President Ingrid Asbury, deputy presidents Bernadette O'Neill and Peter Hampton and lay members Adele Labine-Romain, Marian Baird and Mark Cully – made a unanimous decision.

The above-inflation increase in today's ruling means the Government's push to ensure workers don't go backwards has been achieved, before tax cuts, super increases and other transfer payments are considered.

Workplace Relations News - May 2024

Tue, 14 May 2024 00:00:21 GMT

TANIA HARRIS | WORKPLACE RELATIONS CONSULTANTS

REMINDERS

ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) is currently reviewing the National Minimum Wage and minimum Award Wages. Any changes to minimum wages will generally come into effect on 1 July 2024. We will advise you once the FWC has made its decision.

FYI, the annual increases for the previous two years were:
01/07/2022 4.6%
01/07/2023 5.75%

SUPERANNUATION GUARANTEE
The Superannuation Guarantee rate will increase to 11.5% on 1 July 2024.

CLOSING LOOPHOLES – UPCOMING CHANGES

A reminder of changes taking effect on 1 July 2024.

Changes about notice requirements for entry to investigate under payments. Refer Fair Work Ombudsman link - Unions and Registered Organisations Changes

Criminal offence of industrial manslaughter added to the Work Health and Safety Act and increases to other penalties. Amending the Commonwealth Health and Safety Act to introduce a new criminal offence for industrial manslaughter and significantly increasing penalties for other penalties.

NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

We recommend you familiarise yourself with the National Employment Standards (NES) as there has been changes.

Also, Awards have been updated to reflect superannuation as an entitlement under the NES.
See link - Introduction to the NES for an Introduction to the NES.

BEWARE IMPOSING SUDDEN REQUIREMENTS ON ABSENT EMPLOYEES

Managing unplanned absences can be fraught with risk, particularly when Employers have not strictly enforced certain obligations in the past.

Difficulties tend to arise when an employee who has a pattern of absenteeism has not previously been asked to provide any evidence, and then all of a sudden there’s very stringent evidence requirements imposed. Employers need to be careful about how they go about it, ensuring they do not discriminate against a single employee.

Ensure the same evidence requirements are put in place for all employees.

AWARD CLASSIFICATIONS

Read the classification descriptors that apply under the Award/s to ensure that your employees are classified correctly.

An employee’s classification can change if their role changes or they get a new qualification.

It is recommended that you review classifications when an employee:

changes job or duties
takes on more responsibility, such as becoming a supervisor
completes relevant training, or
obtains a new qualification

Some awards contain provisions that allow an employee to work at a higher classification for a limited amount of time, this is known as ‘higher duties’. When this happens, the employee may be entitled to a higher award pay rate for the time they work at the higher level.

MYTHS AND FACTS

Two common myths the Fair Work Ombudsman often encounter are:

MYTH 1: Lengthy unpaid work trials and unpaid work placements and internships are OK for workers looking to get a foot in the door.

FACT: Unpaid work trials are only OK for as long as needed to demonstrate the skills required for the job.

MYTH 2: Employees don’t need to be paid for time spent at meetings or training outside their paid work hours.

FACT: If it is compulsory, then it is work. Employees are entitled to be paid for the time they are required to spend at any meeting or training.

Workplace Relations News - April 2024

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 06:13:03 GMT

Majority of Australian Employers Admit to 'Accidental Wage Theft'

MAJORITY OF AUSTRALIAN EMPLOYERS ADMIT TO ‘ACCIDENTAL WAGE THEFT’

More than half of Australian companies have made a payroll error in the past 24 months, according to new research from workforce management platform Rippling.

Among the 59% of employers that admitted to accidental wage theft - 48% of errors involved overpayments and underpayments, while 44% involved delayed payments. Misclassifying an employee (28%) and not paying superannuation (24%) were the next most common issues.

The data, based on a survey of 500 payroll managers, suggests the move to remote working had added a layer of complexity to the process. And more than half of respondents (52%) are concerned about recent IR changes that criminalise wage theft and introduce substantial non-compliance penalties.

As a result, 54% of employers are now reassessing how they manage payroll.

A major Australian employer, Insurance Australia Group IAG, has entered into an enforceable undertaking after a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation found "basic" payroll shortcomings resulted in 19,000 workers being underpaid more than $21 million.

Two entities of IAG - which operates brands including NRMA Insurance and CGU - back paid current and former workers who were underpaid between 2013 and 2023; signed the EU; committed to training managers in workplace relations; and made a $650k contrition payment. They also back paid $16.2m in long service leave entitlements.

The FWO investigation found the underpayments were caused by "basic shortcomings" in time and attendance systems of Insurance Australia Group Services Pty Ltd and Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd, which employ more than 90% of IAG's workforce.

The entities also failed to perform reconciliations and top-up payments necessary to ensure employees were receiving entitlements that were "no less beneficial" than those under the applicable modern awards.

WHAT EMPLOYER’S CAN’T AFFORD TO IGNORE IN 2024

Last year ushered in many changes to the workplace - from the Federal Government's Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act; to the 1st tranche of the Fair Work Legislation reforms (Closing Loopholes Bill). With more on the way in 2024, including the 2nd tranche of the Closing Loopholes Bill introduced this year, Employers face a busy year ahead.

So, what does 2024 have in store for Employers?

In our newsletters, we will be highlighting areas and issues businesses should focus and prepare for. Today we highlight 4 areas;

1. Domestic and Family Violence Leave

Since August of last year, all businesses, regardless of size, must offer 10 days of paid Domestic and Family Violence Leave to employees. It is crucial that employers are across (understand and implement) these (this) change(s), as a failure to do so will likely increase the risk of a general protections or unfair dismissal claim being lodged against them.

Employers should review procedures to ensure employees are aware that they can access their entitled Leave; review how Leave requests are managed; and implement strategies to maintain confidentiality.

2. Superannuation under the National Employment Standards

From 1 January 2024, the National Employment Standards (NES) has been amended to include superannuation as an entitlement. This means that employees covered by the NES have the right to pursue unpaid or underpaid Superannuation under the Fair Work Act, so long as the ATO has not already commenced proceedings.

As long as employers are fulfilling their obligations under superannuation guarantee laws, the NES provision will not be contravened.

3. Positive Duty to prevent workplace Sexual Harassment

The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) was amended to impose a new positive duty on employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate, as far as possible, workplace Sexual Harassment and related unlawful conduct. And as of late last year, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has powers to enforce compliance of the positive duty.

In 2024, it is expected an increase in enforcement by both the AHRC and health and safety regulators, with a focus on psychosocial hazards in the workplace. Employers must be prepared to meet their new obligations or face scrutiny from external regulators in a way they have not had to do so before.

Businesses should commence taking steps now to ensure compliance, such as reviewing AHRC guidance and conducting a thorough review of their complaints process, policies, and staff training.

4. Workplace Health and Safety updates

Tougher penalties for offences under the federal Work Health and Safety Act 2011 came into effect late last year, following the passing of the 1st tranche of the Closing Loopholes Bill.

The Closing Loopholes legislation also introduced the offence of industrial manslaughter for causing a workplace death through negligent conduct or recklessness. Applying to officers and persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs), the offence takes effect on 1 July 2024 and carries maximum penalties of $18 million for bodies corporate and 25 years' incarceration for individuals.

This is a reminder for businesses to conduct an audit of the risks of their workplace and ask 'have you limited each risk as far as reasonably practicable to reduce the risk of workplace injury?'. In 2024, employers should take time to create a safety management plan to cover any risks identified and ensure that all staff are provided with training and support.

Employers will want to ensure all actions are documented. Keep in mind, that ensuring a safe workplace is important, but in the event of legal proceedings, employers will be required to demonstrate the safety measures in place.

EMPLOYER ENTITLED TO INSIST ON CLEAN SHAVE

TasWater can direct workers to shave off their stubble, sideburns, moustaches, and beards to ensure their respiratory masks fit properly, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has held, rejecting the CEPU's claims that it is unreasonable.

The employer argued that its personal protective equipment (PPE) procedure had always required workers to be clean shaven when using respiratory protective equipment (RPE), although it had not previously strictly enforced it.

But following a review, the utility late last year, directed all workers comply with a revised PPE procedure and warned it would enforce the measure.

The procedure says workers who use respiratory PPE requiring a facial seal "must be cleanshaven between the face and the seal", and those with "stubble (even a few days' growth), a moustache, sideburns, or a beard which passes between the skin and the sealing surface cannot perform activities which require respiratory PPE".

TasWater applied under s739 of the Fair Work Act, for the FWC to deal with a dispute over the requirement, after the CEPU challenged multiple aspects of the policy and contended that status quo provisions in the organisation's agreements prevented it from enforcing it until the issue was resolved.

The tribunal heard some of the workers cut through cement, bricks, asphalt, and other substances to access pipes, releasing airborne hazardous material such as asbestos and crystalline silica, which can cause severe illness or death if inhaled.

Treatment plant workers might also enter areas where hydrated lime is used to treat wastewater, while others access pump station areas potentially exposing them to airborne pathogens, hydrogen sulphide and concentrated carbon dioxide.

$800K FINE FOR NOT WEARING A HI-VIS VEST

Safety controls are important. A $800,000 fine has been handed to a business following the death of a worker where it was found that the business had provided vests and had instructed employees to wear them, but failed to enforce its own Policies.

In this particular case the worker, a truck driver, was struck and killed during a trailer changeover, which was conducted in a poorly lit area. The worker was not wearing his provided High Vis Vest when he was struck by his work colleague, who could not see him in the dim light.

In handing down the penalty the Judge noted, that while the business Policies required line haul drivers to be provided with and wear approved high-visibility vests, some workers were not provided with these vests and others complied with the rule “to varying degrees”, finding that the business identified the risk to workers, identified the controls and then failed to ensure that the workers were actually following them.

Learnings for all businesses

This tragic case is a reminder to all businesses that it is simply not good enough to do the risk assessment and issue the policy or PPE. Workers must be trained in the risks and hazards associated with their roles and must understand the controls that are there to mitigate those risks. Furthermore, the business must implement systems and reviews to ensure that staff are actually utilising the controls.

The big message to employers is you simply cannot allow controls that have been implemented to be ignored. Failure to ensure your own controls are used, can lead to serious outcomes for workers or the public and serious fines for the business.

Workplace Relations News - March 2024

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:52:49 GMT

Closing the Loopholes: Additional Fair Work Act Changes

The Australian Government has made further workplace laws as part of its Closing the Loopholes changes. These build on initial changes that were introduced in December 2023.

The timetable for the implementation of the changes is now known.

With some changes in effect now, and others taking effect at various times across 2024 and 2025, it is vital that Employers have an understanding of how these new laws will impact their operations.

Please find attached the timeline showing key changes and start dates under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes Act) 2023.

This timelines serves as a guide for your business.

For assistance in any of these areas please contact us as it is important to get it right.

For further information on the new laws refer to the following link.

A review of the legislation has been set for August 2026.

SUPPORT

Discuss how these changes specifically impact your business.
Contact us if you have any Questions or require any Assistance.
Our aim is to help Employers understand the rules and keep up with the changes. Navigating the system often requires specialist Guidance and Advice.
We encourage Employers to contact us to ensure your business is compliant with current Australian Employment Law. Has your business had a yearly compliance check? Ensure your internal operations are effective and compliant. A solid Employment framework should protect your business in the event of a claim.
Phone or E-mail, for clarity & peace of mind - so you can focus on customer satisfaction and growing your business.
We look forward to continuing to work together, supporting your business into the future.