26/06/2025
𝗙𝗪𝗢 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has been doing spot checks on small businesses across six cities to see if employers are keeping proper records. If you have staff, now is a good time to make sure everything is in order.
Around 50 businesses were visited in locations such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide, and Cairns. Inspectors focused on retailers and service businesses such as butchers, florists, bakeries, phone repair shops, beauty salons and car washes. These types of businesses often hire younger staff or migrant workers, who may not always be aware of their rights or feel confident in speaking up.
Inspectors checked pay slips, timesheets, and whether employees had received the correct 𝙁𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 and 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. When records were missing or poorly kept, employers received fines on the spot. The penalties can range from $1,878 for an individual issue to $9,390 for a company.
The FWO indicates that missing or sloppy records are often a sign that there could be underpayments or other issues. In the last financial year, they issued 760 fines nationwide, totalling nearly $1 million.
This is not about punishing honest mistakes. It is about making sure businesses are following the law and treating their workers fairly. Keeping good records also makes your life easier when it comes to payroll, audits and sorting out any mistakes quickly.