The government has recently announced that from 1 April the minimum wage will be increasing by 50c, from $15.25 per hour to $15.75 per hour.

The starting-out and training minimum wage rates are also set to increase, from $12.20 per hour to $12.60 per hour (being 80% of the adult minimum wage).

It is important that employers keep accurate records of all hours worked and wages paid, so that they can prove compliance with minimum wage laws. Failure to keep these records can lead to infringement notices with penalties of $1,000 per breach, with a cap of $20,000 for multiple breaches in a three month period.

Now is also a good time for employers to check whether remuneration of any low-salaried workers will be meeting the new minimum wage threshold, particularly for those in industries that experience large seasonal fluctuations in workloads. Failure to meet the minimum wage threshold can leave employers open to penalties of up to $50,000 for an individual; or for a company, the greater of $100,000 or three times the amount of the financial gain made. Non compliant employers will also be publicly named.

Get in touch with our employment team if you wish to discuss this further.

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