The holiday season is behind us, and we have some important updates about workplace laws that will affect small businesses in Australia. Let’s break it down:
Wage Theft gets Serious
Starting January 1, 2025, deliberately underpaying workers will become a criminal offence. Don’t worry – honest mistakes won’t get you into trouble, but it’s very important to:
• Keep on top of National Employment Standards
• Stay up-to-date with award obligations
• Keep good records
Want more details? Head over to smallbusinesspeak.org.au to learn more about what you need to do.
The Right to Switch Off
From August 26, 2025, your employees will have the right to ignore work calls and emails outside of working hours so long as it’s reasonable to do so. Here’s what you should do to get ready:
• Look over your employee contracts and policies
• Make sure your managers know how to handle this
• Set up new processes to deal with these changes
For more information on how to prepare, visit smallbusinesspeak.org.au
Award Changes are Here
37 modern awards are getting updates on January 1, 2025. The main things to know:
• Pay rates are changing
• There are new rules about how long people can stay in entry-level positions
Not sure if you’re up to date? Reach out to your membership association – they’re here to help you.
Super on Parental Leave
Starting July 1, 2025, the government will pay 12% super on parental leave payments. While this is payable by the government, it’s good to know so you can support your team members who are starting families.
Special Updates for WA Businesses
If you’re running a business in Western Australia, be aware of changes starting from January 31, 2025, which align with Federal legislation.
• New rules about what makes someone a casual worker (it’s about what actually happens, not just what’s in the contract)
• Clear rules against sexual harassment at work
• Bigger penalties if you break state employment laws
• Casual loading for WA’s minimum wage will increase from 20% to 25%
• Long-term employees get new rights to ask for flexible work.
These changes bring WA more in line with federal laws. If you’re not sure about anything, check in with your membership association.
