New Resources About Pay & Conditions, Enterprise Agreements & Bargaining

The Fair Work system provides the legal framework for workplace relations, setting standards for employee rights, pay, and conditions. These standards, established by the Fair Work Act, are enforced by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO). The FWC is responsible for setting minimum wages, resolving disputes, and approving enterprise agreements. The FWO, on the other hand, ensures compliance with workplace laws, investigates breaches, and offers education and guidance on workplace rights.

Compliance with Fair Work requirements is essential for fostering a fair, cooperative, and productive workplace. It also helps businesses avoid penalties, manage risks, and maintain legal compliance when handling critical aspects such as pay, entitlements, enterprise agreements, and bargaining processes.

Understanding these requirements enables businesses to build stronger relationships with their workforce while upholding their legal obligations.

To support employers and employees, the FWC, in partnership with the FWO, has launched new online resources to simplify the complexities of workplace laws. These tools provide clear insights into workplace rights and responsibilities, explain how bargaining influences these rights, and highlight the importance of enterprise agreements in shaping effective workplace practices.

For business owners and employers, these resources offer practical and accessible guidance to navigate workplace laws confidently. Covering crucial areas like pay, entitlements, and agreements, the tools are designed to help businesses manage their obligations efficiently.

By staying informed and leveraging these resources, employers can create fairer workplaces, mitigate risks, and ensure a compliant and productive environment.

FWC Online Learning Portal

The Online Learning Portal features clear and straightforward training videos that explain how the different parts of the Fair Work system connect. The National Employment Standards (NES) set the minimum rights for all employees, while the National Minimum Wage provides the lowest pay rate that must be met.

Awards set out industry-specific pay and conditions, and enterprise agreements are negotiated at the workplace level, offering tailored conditions that must meet or exceed the NES and awards. Employment contracts can provide additional terms but must align with these legal requirements, ensuring fair and consistent workplace conditions.

These videos offer practical insights into employee pay and entitlements, detailing where they come from and how awards, enterprise agreements, and contracts interact. They also cover what enterprise agreements are, how they’re created and when they apply, and include a small business case study.

Additionally, the videos outline the key steps in effective bargaining, including the roles and responsibilities of each party. These resources are helpful for anyone looking to understand workplace rules with ease.

Visit the Online Learning Portal to access supporting resources:

Further Resources

• Download the written summary Understanding employee pay and entitlements (PDF) (DOCX).
• Read Making an enterprise agreement case study (PDF) (DOCX) to see how a small business tailored pay and entitlements for their workplace.
• Watch other videos in this series: Understanding enterprise agreements and Understanding bargaining.

Who Can Help?

If you have any questions about Fair Work requirements, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) are the two key agencies to consult. Together, these agencies play a crucial role in maintaining fair and consistent workplace standards across Australia.

Source: New resources about pay and conditions, enterprise agreements and bargaining (pdf)

MyGovID Has Changed Its Name To MyID

MyGovID has officially transitioned to myID. While the app’s name and appearance have changed, the way users log in and its security features remain the same. Those already using the app for government services don’t need to take any action, as the update was simple and seamless.

Here’s what stayed the same:

• Same account details: Users did not need to set up a new account. Login details, such as email addresses and identity verification levels, remain unchanged.
• Automatic update: The app automatically updated to myID, or users could manually update it via the App Store or Google Play.
• Continued access: Users can still securely access government services online without any changes to the app’s functionality.

For further details, visit the official myID information page.

Avoid Scams

Be aware of fraudulent websites, apps, and phishing scams, especially during the ATO transition when both myID and myGovID may be mentioned.

There is no need to set up a new myID account or reconfirm details. If prompted to do so on a website, it is a scam.

To protect yourself:

• Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from unknown emails or SMS.
• When logging in to an online service with myID, ensure that the URL displayed in your browser includes ‘https://www2.icb.org.au/e/963933/2024-12-16/6kwqt/479042295/h/PCI-Nc-IqvQQPNnkvnWbWjOZvhbRov0hWYNWBRz3TrY’ or ‘https://www2.icb.org.au/e/963933/2024-12-16/6kwqx/479042295/h/PCI-Nc-IqvQQPNnkvnWbWjOZvhbRov0hWYNWBRz3TrY’.
• Only download the myID app from official app stores.

For more security tips, visit the official myID website.