The Closing Loopholes Act amended the FW Act to introduce a criminal offence for intentional underpayment of employees’ wages.
The offence commenced on 1 January 2025, following the declaration of the Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code.
An employer will commit an offence if the employer intentionally engages in conduct that results in the underpayment of their employees. It will apply to employee entitlements under the FW Act or a fair work instrument, e.g., a modern award or enterprise agreement.
The wage theft offence will carry a maximum penalty of:
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) will be primarily responsible for investigating the new criminal offence. The FWO will then refer matters to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions or the Australian Federal Police for consideration, and prosecution where appropriate.
Source: LexisNexis Australia 2025
Each year, the Bus Industry Confederation recognises and rewards excellence within Australian bus and coach at its national conference. This year, winners from across the nation were selected to receive five industry awards in Perth. It is our privilege to present the following national winners from the 2025 National Industry Awards… June TrethewayTransport for BrisbaneNational […]
The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) continues to advise and support governments across the country in the revision of bus safety requirement policies — particularly on dedicated school bus services. The BIC has developed a suite of operator guidelines and industry advisories on fire, passenger door, roll-over and seatbelt safety, for example, as well as submitted numerous […]
The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) continues to advise and support governments across the country in the revision of bus safety requirement policies — particularly on dedicated school bus services. The BIC has developed a suite of operator guidelines and industry advisories on fire, passenger door, roll-over and seatbelt safety, for example, as well as submitted numerous […]
The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) continues to advise and support governments across the country in the revision of bus safety requirement policies — particularly on dedicated school bus services. The BIC has developed a suite of operator guidelines and industry advisories on fire, passenger door, roll-over and seatbelt safety, for example, as well as submitted numerous […]
The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) continues to advise and support governments across the country in the revision of bus safety requirement policies — particularly on dedicated school bus services. The BIC has developed a suite of operator guidelines and industry advisories on fire, passenger door, roll-over and seatbelt safety, for example, as well as submitted numerous […]
