A wage is an amount of money you are paid and can be classified as Full-time, Part-time, Casual or Piece-rate (common on farms, meaning: per crate, bunch or bin).
Most short-term and mid-term work is often paid using casual rates.
Click the button below, to read about each component of your wage:
In Australia, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) asks employers to deduct a certain amount of money from your wage to forward onto the ATO.
There are different tax rates pending on your status (Australian citizen, working holidaymaker etc).
Note: it is considered a lawful offence if you do not pay tax. A Tax File Number Declaration must be given to each employer. Every employer must pay your tax onto the ATO. Penalties Apply. We will cover this later in the course.
Superannuation is like a savings fund for Australian employees for their retirement.
Even if you are a ‘visa holder’ and not an Australia resident, your employer is responsible for paying your superannuation.
In most cases, superannuation is only payable once you have earned the ‘threshold’ in gross wages during any month.
Note: You will need to have a superannuation account to work in Australia. We will cover this later in the course.
Your employer is required to give you a place to write the hours that you have worked.
It is usually called a ‘timesheet’.
Your employer may pay you weekly or fortnightly – ask your employer when your pay period ends before you start work.
It is most common to be paid fortnightly with your wage deposited into your bank account.
It is common to receive your payment within two days of the pay period ending.
Your employer is required to give you a payslip for each pay period, showing what you have earned and what deductions have been made. Along with information about your employer, such as the Business Name and the ABN. Your payslip contains all the information you need to check you are being paid correctly. It is a common practice for you to receive your payslip via email – so make sure you always keep your email address up to date with your employer.
Sometimes disputes about payment cannot be resolved in the workplace, you can find out more about how to deal with a payment dispute on the Fair Work Ombudsman Website
If you are a visa holder, visit the Australian Taxation Office website for more information about how tax applies to you.
Visit the Fair Work Ombudsman Website to download the ‘Record My Hours‘ app on your smartphone.
In some circumstances, you can belong to any Superannuation Fund as you have a choice. Your employer should advise you when you start work. It is common practice to have your superannuation account set up prior to starting work. When your superannuation account is not set up, your employer may set one up for you.
