We provided a submission to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations' Criminalising wage underpayments and reforming civil penalties in the Fair Work Act 2009 consultation paper on 12 May 2023.
In this submission we raised feedback where changes may impact DSPs, including how they operate and support employers. In summary:
- Penalties for wage underpayments should be limited to those involving intention and should apply equally to overpayments
- Creating offences at both the federal and state level should be avoided; and
- DEWR should consider the impact changing data retention practices across Australia could have on the ability to investigate both record-keeping misconduct and wage underpayments.
Access a full copy of this submission here.