"From 1 October 2011, 316 Employers in the Community Services sector are being required to back pay their employees the 'Fisher' Rates of pay from the QCSCA Award State 2008 for the period 1 January 2010 - 30 September 2011 under the a new regulation - the Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Amendment Regulations 2011 (No. 1).

Check if your organisation is named in the Regulation here.

To be on the list an organisation should have received some supplementation from the QLD Government in 2010/2011 to contribute towards paying higher wage rates. In addition, the organisation must be a non-trading corporation. If your organisation is listed but you are a trading corporation or you received no supplementation please call us without delay on 07 3220 3500.

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On 3 June 2011, Fair Work Australia (FWA) handed down its second Annual Wage Review Decision. In its comprehensive (106-page) decision, FWA awarded an increase of 3.4% to all adult minimum weekly rates in Modern Awards. The increase will become operative from the first full pay period commencing (ppc) on or after 1 July 2011. Junior rates will increase according to the percentage of the adult rate they are calculated from.

Allowances in the Modern Awards will also increase from ppc 1 July 2011 according to the specified formula designated by the relevant award.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Employers who have chosen to utilise the model transitional provisions to phase-in increased rates of pay under the Modern Awards must remember that this national wage increase applies in addition to any transitional adjustments that would also be operative ppc 1 July 2011.

Award/Agreement Free Employees

The Federal Minimum Wage will subsequently increase to $589.30 per week (or $15.51 per hour).

FWA has also determined that the default casual loading for award/agreement free employees should increase to 22% from the first full pay period commencing (ppc) on or after 1 July 2011. The increase to the casual loading coupled with the increase to the Federal Minimum Wage results in a minimum hourly rate of $18.92 being applicable for award free adult casual employees from ppc 1 July 2011.

" The extensive flooding throughout Queensland, and the cyclonic activity in North Queensland has affected many workplaces. For answers to questions regarding your obligations for payment of wages please follow the link to read our Briefing Paper.

"A Full Bench of the Federal Court recently made a decision as to whether Bankstown HCCA - a community service organisation - was a trading corporation for the purpose of Federal Industrial Laws.   Please follow this link to read the full decision.

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From 1 January 2010 employers in the national workplace relations system must give each new employee a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement before, or as soon as possible after, the employee starts employment. The Statement can be posted, faxed or emailed to the employee. Provision of the Statement is one of the 10 minimum standards in the National Employment Standards (NES). The Fair Work Information Statement is generally updated by the Government every 12 months (approx.) and can be downloaded for free from the website of the Fair Work Ombudsman.