Fair Work Ombudsman's audit program

From time to time the Fair Work Ombudsman may carry out campaigns that are targeted at particular industries to check for compliance with employment laws.

For example, if you are working in the insulation industry your may have recently received or may receive a notice advising that you have been selected as a part of an audit program.

Audits are conducted by Fair Work Inspectors and you will be asked to produce time and wage records.
An audit may involve a site visit.

What records will I be asked to produce?
You may be asked to complete an information form which will ask questions about:

• your business;
• the instrument (award/agreement) under which you are paying your employees;
• how many employees work in your business;
• employees’ personal information;
• compliance with your superannuation obligations.

The records requested Fair Work Ombudsman for the purposes of the audit may also include:

• the name of each employee, their status  of employment (full-time, part-time or casual) and the duties they perform;
• where applicable, any apprenticeship or traineeship contracts;
• where applicable, details of any registered workplace agreements;
• time sheets, attendance records, rosters or other documents showing the actual hours worked (including overtime hours for which the employee is entitled to an overtime rate);
• records of any hours during which the employee attended training sessions or staff meetings;
• payroll advice records detailing the gross and net wages paid to each employee for each pay period;
• the wage rate (or salary) as well as any penalties, loadings or allowances and the nature of such payments, paid to each employee;
• a sample pay slip.

You may be asked to produce these records for a specified period.

What can I do to make sure I am prepared for an audit?
It is important that you understand and comply with your employment and record keeping obligations and that you keep records in a form that is legible, in English and readily accessible to a workplace inspector. HIA has an information sheet available that sets out the employment records that a federal system employer needs to keep.  These records must be kept for 7 years.

It is also important that you give a pay slip to each of your employees within one working day of paying an amount to the employee in relation to the performance of work.

If you are confronted with an audit and require guidance or would like to know more about your employment and record keeping obligations, contact an HIA Workplace Adviser on 1300 650 620.