Workplace audit campaign along the Murray
The Fair Work Ombudsman will visit businesses along the Murray River in Victoria and NSW during February as part of a new education and compliance campaign.
Fair Work Inspectors will conduct face-to-face visits to about 70 randomly selected employers in Cobram, Corowa, Echuca, Moama, Mulwala, Rutherglen, Tocumwal and Yarrawonga.
Inspectors will check that employers are complying with record-keeping and pay slip obligations, including giving employees sufficiently detailed pay slips within one working day of pay day and keeping correct time-and-wages records.
Inspectors will also advise employers about the range of free resources available at www.fairwork.gov.au to help them comply with workplace laws.
Online resources include templates for pay slips and time-and-wages sheets and tools for determining correct rates of pay for employees, such as PayCheck Plus.
Fair Work Ombudsman, Nicholas Wilson, said the campaign provides a great opportunity for employers to improve their understanding of workplace laws.
“It is important that businesses get it right when it comes to their record-keeping and pay slip obligations,” Mr Wilson said.
“Failure to issue pay slips denies employees the opportunity to check that their entitlements are being met and poor record keeping can impede the ability of Fair Work Inspectors to check workers are being paid their full entitlements.
“In cases where Fair Work Inspectors find contraventions, their preference will be to educate the employer and assist them to put processes in place to ensure ongoing compliance.”
The Fair Work Ombudsman conducted an education and compliance campaign focusing on the accommodation industry in the Murray River region in 2010.
At that time, Fair Work Inspectors checked the books of 14 businesses and found that nine (64 per cent) had breached workplace laws, including five businesses which had underpaid 10 employees a total of $4124.
Employers and workers seeking assistance should visit www.fairwork.gov.au or contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. An interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman, 30 January 2013
