What is Fair Work compliance?

Fair Work compliance means meeting all employer obligations under the Fair Work Act 2009 and the relevant Modern Award including correct pay rates, penalty rates, breaks, leave entitlements, and record keeping.

What are the penalties for breaching Fair Work?

Penalties for breaching Fair Work can reach $93,900 per breach for a body corporate and $18,780 for an individual. Serious contraventions attract significantly higher penalties under the Closing Loopholes laws.

How long do I need to keep employee records?

Australian employers must keep time and wages records for 7 years. Records must include hours worked, pay rates, leave taken, and superannuation contributions.

What is wage theft and is it now a crime?

Wage theft is the deliberate underpayment of wages or entitlements. From 1 January 2025, intentional wage theft is a criminal offence under the Closing Loopholes legislation.

What are penalty rates?

Penalty rates are higher rates of pay for working evenings, weekends, public holidays, and overtime. The exact rates depend on your industry's Modern Award.

Do I have to pay casual loading?

Yes. Casual employees are entitled to a 25% casual loading on top of the base hourly rate to compensate for not receiving paid leave entitlements.

How can I automate Fair Work compliance?

Roster software like Roster Flow automatically applies the correct Award rates, penalty rates, casual loading and overtime to every shift, and keeps audit-ready timesheet records for 7 years.

What is the right to disconnect?

From 26 August 2024, employees have the right to refuse contact from their employer outside working hours unless the contact is reasonable. This applies to small businesses from 26 August 2025.

Fair Work Compliance Guide for Australian Employers 2025

Practical Fair Work compliance guide for Australian employers. Award rates, penalty rates, casual loading and record-keeping made simple.