Employment

National Minimum Wage increases from 1 July 2015

As of July 1, 2015, the new national minimum wage will be $656.60 per week or $17.29 per hour for a full-time employee working 38 hours per week.  This constitutes an increase of $16.00 per week or 42 cents per hour.
Employers that fail to comply with legally mandated minimum employee benefits, such as these pay rate increases, can be subject to penalties of up to $10,200 per offence for individuals and up to $50,100 per offence for companies.

 

National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2014

  • The new national minimum wage from 1 July 2014 is $640.90 per week or $16.87 per hour.
  • The high income threshold from 1 July 2014 is $133,000.00 (per year).  An employee who earns more than the threshold is not eligible to make an unfair dismissal claim under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). 

The new national minimum wage from 1 July 2013

The new national minimum wage is $622.20 per week or $16.37 per hour. The national minimum wage applies to employees who aren’t covered by an award or agreement.  Most employees are covered by an award.
Casual employees covered by the national minimum wage get an extra 24% ($20.30 per hour).
See Fair Work Ombudsman’s website: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/national-minimum-wage/pages/default.aspx
Employees can find their awards using ‘Award Finder’: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/awards/how-to-find-an-award/pages/default.aspx

Fair Work Act – filing fee and threshold increases

The filing fee for dismissals and general protections applications made under ss.365, 372, 394 and 773 of the Fair Work Act 2009 will increase to $65.50 from 1 July 2013.
In other changes effective from 1 July, the high income threshold in unfair dismissal cases will increase to $129,300 and the compensation limit will be $64,650 for dismissals occurring on or after 1 July 2013.