Award compliance
Find out if you're underpaying staff before someone else does
Most underpayments aren't deliberate. They come from the wrong award, the wrong classification or a payroll setting that repeats every pay run. Left alone, a small error becomes years of back pay, interest and penalties. Since 1 January 2025, intentional underpayment can also be a criminal offence.
IndustrialHR reviews award compliance for employers in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and across Australia. Rhiannon has 20 years in award interpretation and wage compliance.
What a review checks
- Award coverage: whether the right modern award applies to each role.
- Classifications: whether each employee is at the right level for the work they actually do.
- Pay rates and loadings: base rates, casual loading, penalty rates, overtime and allowances.
- Payroll settings: how your payroll system is set up, which is where repeat errors hide.
- Records: whether your time and pay records meet Fair Work requirements.
If we find an underpayment
- Size it. We calculate what is owed, per employee, so you know the exposure.
- Fix the cause. We correct the classification or payroll setting so it stops.
- Remediate. We help you plan back payments and how to communicate them to staff.
- Decide on disclosure. We'll walk you through whether and how to approach the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Need ongoing HR support instead?
From $295 a month + GST
Alliance Light: unlimited written advice from $295 a month. Alliance Plus: hands-on HR from $1,450 a month (all + GST)
- Unlimited email HR advice
- A named practitioner who knows your business
- Contracts, letters and meetings handled for you
- Templates and documentation
- Proactive risk alerts
Common questions
How far back can employees claim?
Generally up to six years.
We use a payroll provider. Aren't they responsible?
No. The employer is responsible for paying correctly, even when payroll is outsourced.
What does a review cost?
It depends on the number of awards, roles and employees. We give you a fixed quote first.
Check your pay before someone else does
Call 0481 100 416 or book a consultation to scope a review and get a fixed quote.
Related articles
Practical guidance on awards and pay.
- Award coverage errors: the underpayment in your payroll
- The underpayment you built into your payroll on day one
Free guide
Think your pay rates are wrong?
Get the free step-by-step guide to fixing an underpayment: what to check today, how far back to go, and the mistakes that make it worse.
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© 2026 IndustrialHR. All rights reserved.
Gold Coast, Queensland | 0481 100 416
IndustrialHR does not provide legal advice.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Articles
© 2026 IndustrialHR. All rights reserved.
Gold Coast, Queensland | 0481 100 416
IndustrialHR does not provide legal advice.