Modern Awards are complex. Getting them wrong is expensive.

Ongoing monitoring and management of your Award obligations. We track the changes so you do not have to.

$47k

average underpayment liability per misclassified employee (6-year lookback)

1 July

annual Award rate change effective date (plus ad-hoc variations)

200+

pages in some Modern Awards (averaging 50-100 pages)

The Challenge

The complexity trap.

Australia's Modern Award system is one of the most complex employment frameworks in the world. A single Award can run to hundreds of pages. Penalty rates change depending on the day, the time, and whether the employee is full-time, part-time, or casual.

Classifications determine minimum pay rates, and misclassification can mean thousands in back-pay liability per employee. Awards change regularly with limited notice. One misclassified employee across one year creates a back-pay liability greater than your People Hub subscription cost.

Compliance Risks

Employee misclassification (very common, very expensive)

Missed rate changes and penalty rate errors

Incorrect leave entitlement calculations

6-year lookback for underpayment claims

How It Works

Our Audit Process

01

Initial Comprehensive Audit

We audit every employee's classification and rate against the relevant Award. Identifying current gaps and calculating any back-pay exposure.

02

Remediation Planning

We resolve any gaps or errors identified, including back-pay calculations if required, with a clear remediation plan and Fair Work self-correction framework.

03

Ongoing Rate Monitoring

Continuous monitoring tracks Award changes and ensures your payroll is updated within the required timeframe. You are always current with the latest rates.

04

Ongoing Compliance Reviews

Regular compliance reviews confirm ongoing accuracy and flag emerging risks. Proactive identification and resolution before they become problems.

Who This Is For

Every Australian Business

Particularly critical for businesses with complex Awards (hospitality, healthcare, transport), multiple Awards, casual employees, shift workers, and multi-site operations.

Complex Awards

Casual Employees

Shift Workers

Cross-Hub Integration

Compliance with Business Context

Award compliance directly affects payroll accuracy (People Hub) and financial reporting (Finance Hub). When we identify a classification error, the financial impact is immediately calculated. The remediation plan considers both the compliance resolution and the cash flow impact. Your Operations Hub is updated with any staffing or structural changes.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

We will identify the underpayment during the initial audit, calculate the back-pay liability, and work with you on a remediation plan. Voluntary self-correction is viewed far more favourably by the Fair Work Ombudsman than discovered non-compliance.

The annual wage review typically takes effect 1 July each year. The Fair Work Commission can also issue interim variations at any time. We monitor all changes and update your payroll accordingly.

Yes. Enterprise agreements have their own compliance requirements, and many still reference the underlying Award as a benchmark. We manage compliance for both.

It depends on the nature and duration of the error. Underpayment claims can go back six years. We will quantify your exposure during the compliance audit and recommend the appropriate response.

Penalty rates vary by Award and depend on the type of work (weekend, public holiday, shift, overtime), the day and time. We verify penalty rate calculations across all scenarios. A 1% error in penalty rates compounds across every pay cycle.

Multi-Award workforces are complex but manageable. We track each Award's requirements separately and ensure correct classification for each employee. This is where compliance audits add the most value.

Casual employees have specific Award entitlements: ordinary rates, loading (instead of leave accrual), and in many Awards, minimum engagement periods and maximum hours. Misclassification of casuals is a common underpayment source.

Your payroll provider is responsible for payroll processing, but you are responsible for providing correct input data (classification, hours, rates). Our compliance audits ensure your input data is correct, protecting you from liability even if the payroll system makes an error.

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Protect your business from Award compliance risk.