Employers and business owners take note – from 1 July 2023:
- the national Minimum Wage will be increased to $882.80 per week or $23.23 per hour; and
- a 5.75% increase to minimum award wages will come into effect.
This increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2023. For example, if your weekly pay period starts on Monday, the increase will take effect from Monday 3 July 2023.
Employers should be careful to ensure that their pay rates are up to date, and that no accidental underpayments occur. Wage theft is now a crime in Queensland, with deliberate wage theft punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment. Furthermore, even where underpayment is unintentional, a business will still be liable to repay the amount and may face wage recovery claims through the Industrial Magistrates Court which takes time and money away from other matters.
If your business has not done so recently, while you review your rates of pay, we strongly encourage taking a moment to review your employment processes and contracts to ensure that you are meeting all of your requirements as an employer. If you need help updating your employment contracts or workplace policies (or have any other employment law questions), please contact Aspen ([email protected]) or Matthew ([email protected]) or call our office on (07) 5479 2457.
Disclaimer: please note that this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Australian law is complex and ever changing, and you should always obtain advice specific to your circumstances from a qualified legal practitioner. The value of penalty units also changes from time to time. If you require advice, please contact us on (07) 5479 2457 or at [email protected] to see how we can help.