As a casual employee in Australia, check your payslip for the pay period, hours paid at each hourly rate, and deductions from your gross pay. Your employer must give you a payslip within one working day of paying you, either electronically or on paper.
These requirements come from national Fair Work rules. Some workers fall under different workplace relations systems, so check which rules apply to your job if you’re unsure.
What your payslip should show
A payslip must name your employer and include its Australian Business Number (ABN), if it has one, along with your name. It must state the pay period and the date you were paid. It must also show your gross pay before deductions and your net pay after deductions.
If you’re paid by the hour, it must show your ordinary hourly rate, the number of hours paid at that rate and the amount paid at that rate. It must identify separately any bonus, loading or allowance paid. The same applies to a penalty rate, incentive payment or other entitlement. Where a deduction is made, the payslip must show the amount and where the money went, such as the name of a fund or account.
The payslip rules do not require each shift’s start and finish times to appear. Compare the hours shown with your own shift records. Employers have separate record-keeping duties, including keeping hours-worked records for casual employees paid by time.
Check casual loading
Casual loading is extra pay for casual employees in place of some entitlements available to permanent employees. The Fair Work Ombudsman says it is generally 25% of the minimum hourly rate, but the rate that applies to your job depends on the relevant award, enterprise agreement or employment contract.
Your payslip should make the loading identifiable, but it does not always need to appear as a separate dollar amount. It might say that your hourly rate includes casual loading. Check the rate against the rules for your job, using your classification and hours. Weekend, public holiday and overtime rates depend on the applicable award or agreement, so don’t assume the loading is added in the same way for every shift. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool can help you check rates and entitlements.
Check payslip deductions and super
Check that deductions match what you agreed to or what the law allows. The payslip must state the deduction amount and identify the fund or account receiving it.
If your employer has made or intends to make superannuation contributions, the payslip must give relevant contribution and fund details, subject to a limited exception for some new employees. A payslip alone does not confirm that the money has reached your super fund.
What to do if your payslip looks wrong
Compare the payslip with your own records, such as a diary of shifts, roster, bank statement and earlier payslips. Check the pay period first, then compare the hours, rates, allowances, deductions and amount paid. The Fair Work Ombudsman recommends keeping your own hours record, including through its Record My Hours app.
If the rate looks wrong, check which award or enterprise agreement covers your job and whether your classification and shift times affect your pay. Then raise the specific issue with your employer. For example, identify the pay period and the hours or rate you think need checking. Follow up in writing with a brief record of what you discussed and any agreed next steps.
If the issue remains unresolved, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for help with minimum entitlements under the Fair Work Act, an award or an enterprise agreement. If you have not received a payslip, ask your employer for it first.