Employment related issues are often very complex and therefore a specialised area when requiring consultation. As Accountants we are often asked questions in relation to these matters and although we often have a working knowledge of the rules, by no means are we experts in the area.
So where can people access assistance with employment matters? There is a lot of information on the internet and much of it is available from government agencies. Unfortunately, there is no one stop shop as there are a number of departments dealing with specific areas of employment matters. We also caution people of just googling for advice. You need to be sure that the information pertains to your state/region and is appropriate to your industry.
Below is a list of commonly used sites that can be used as resources for employment matters. The examples below are focusing on Victorian employers, however all states will have their own sites of equivalence to Victoria.
On this site you will find details with regards to employee entitlements, awards and agreements, minimum award payments and other industry payments, leave entitlements and ceasing employment. In recent years, most employment awards have migrated to federal based awards and they are contained on this site. The site will assist you in finding the appropriate award for your industry as well as provide the minimum wage for those staff.
fairwork.gov.au
Many employment matters are still state based. The example here is for Victoria, but other states have an equivalent. A specific area dealt with on this site is Long Service Leave and Portable Long Service Leave which are both state based. There is also information on the site regarding employment status such as Full-time, Part-time and Casual as well as details of employment incentives.
business.vic.gov.au
Another state based tax which is easily overlooked is Payroll Tax, which in Victoria is administered by the State Revenue Office. This site provides details with regards to thresholds and exemptions to Payroll Tax.
sro.vic.gov.au
Each state will have their own workplace health and safety site and what they refer to the organisation as. In Victoria and Queensland it is referred to as Worksafe, South Australia is Return To Work SA, NSW is Workcover. From the listed site you are able to register as an employer in each respective state you operate in and where you will establish your respective state based Workcover policy. They also provide details on looking after the health and safety of your business. Be aware if you have employees based in other states you may be required to hold policies in multiple states.
worksafe.vic.gov.au
When employing staff, the ATO will be a very important site for employment matters. From here employers will find details of Single Touch Payroll, details and calculators on tax to withhold from employees’ wages and salary as well. The ATO have for a number of years also been responsible for administration of Superannuation matters, in particular Superannuation Guarantee Charge.
ato.gov.au
