There’s no doubt that businesses are facing a continued and very heated compliance environment. What heightens this is the Government’s recent proposal to increase the Commonwealth criminal penalty unit from $180 to $210 as of 1 July 2017 and the anticipation that more increases will come!
Once the proposal receives royal assent, the possible penalties that can be imposed on corporations and individuals alike will be $63,000 and $12,600 respectively for each contravention of the Fair Work Act 2009. This includes but is not limited to:
- Breaches of the General Protections Provisions; and
- Non-compliance with the National Employment Standards and/ or the relevant Enterprise Agreement or Modern Award.
At the moment, corporations and individuals can be fined $54,000 and $10,800 respectively for each contravention of the Fair Work Act 2009.
Also watch this space for the report back on the Senate inquiry into allegations of Corporate Avoidance of the Fair Work Act 2009 with the anticipated reporting date being 7 August 2017.
If you have any questions relating to the above, or would like to discuss how we can assist you in ensuring your business is compliant with the Fair Work Act 2009, please don’t hesitate to call or email us.
