FWO
Fair Work Ombudsman
Enforces compliance with the Fair Work Act, awards, and agreements. Investigates underpayments, brings civil penalty proceedings, and publishes compliance notices.
14
Obligations enforced
25
Enforcement actions tracked
5
Scope topics
Obligations enforced by FWO (14)
- criticalCWLTHAvoid sham contracting (s 357 Fair Work Act)
Employer must not misrepresent employment as contractor relationship.
- criticalCWLTHCasual employment definition + conversion (Closing Loopholes 2024)
New casual employment definition + employee choice pathway from 26 August 2024.
- criticalCWLTHEmployee-like worker minimum standards (Closing Loopholes No. 2 2024)
FWC can set minimum standards for 'employee-like' workers (gig economy).
- criticalCWLTHPay employees in accordance with the applicable modern award
Apply the correct modern award rates, penalties, allowances, and overtime — wage theft is now criminal.
- criticalCWLTHProvide 10 days paid family + domestic violence leave (FDV)
Paid FDV leave for all employees: 10 days per year (full-time + part-time + casual).
- criticalCWLTHSame job same pay (labour hire reform)
Labour hire workers entitled to same minimum pay as direct employees on host site.
- highCWLTHBusiness records — 7-year retention (Corporations Act + tax)
Companies must retain financial + business records for 7 years.
- highCWLTHComply with casual employee conversion (Closing Loopholes — s 66B Fair Work Act)
From 26 Aug 2024, eligible casual employees can notify their employer to convert to permanent employment.
- highCWLTHHonour employees' right to disconnect (s 333M)
Employees can refuse to monitor, read, or respond to out-of-hours contact unless refusal is unreasonable.
- highCWLTHPay annual leave loading where the award or contract provides
Most modern awards require 17.5% loading on annual leave taken or paid out on termination.
- highCWLTHPay redundancy under NES (s 119 FW Act)
Redundancy pay scale 0-16 weeks based on continuous service (small business exempt).
- highCWLTHProvide 10 days personal/carer's leave per NES
All full-time employees accrue 10 days paid personal/carer's leave per year of service.
- highCWLTHProvide minimum notice of termination (NES s 117)
NES minimum notice of termination scales from 1 week to 5 weeks based on service + age 45+.
- highCWLTHRight to Disconnect (s 333M FWA)
Employees may refuse out-of-hours contact unless unreasonable from 26 August 2024.
Recent FWO enforcement
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Greathunter Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-21: Greathunter Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Fonefix8 Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-21: Fonefix8 Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Mj Harris Painting And Restorations PTY LTD Cn Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-20: Mj Harris Painting And Restorations PTY LTD Cn Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Agape 2026 Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-20: Agape 2026 Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Karnati Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-14: Karnati Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Stubbs Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-11: Stubbs Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- media release2026FWO — Building And Construction Apprentices
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-08: Building And Construction Apprentices. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Metisse Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-08: Metisse Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Pather Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-07: Pather Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Azmy Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-07: Azmy Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Jabbour Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-04: Jabbour Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Pe Jayz Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-05-04: Pe Jayz Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Hidewood Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-24: Hidewood Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Wylie Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-24: Wylie Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Hamze Cn Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-17: Hamze Cn Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Drew And Schofer Cn Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-17: Drew And Schofer Cn Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- enforceable undertaking2026FWO — Luck Bird Eu
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-16: Luck Bird Eu. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- media release2026FWO — Operation Zephyr
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-09: Operation Zephyr. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Mua Gill Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-09: Mua Gill Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- enforceable undertaking2026FWO — Southern Cross Care NSW And ACT Eu
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-04-02: Southern Cross Care NSW And ACT Eu. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — The Ella Group NSW PTY LTD Cn Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-03-31: The Ella Group NSW PTY LTD Cn Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Angel Cn Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-03-31: Angel Cn Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- proceedings filed2026FWO — Warwick Institute Litigation
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-03-26: Warwick Institute Litigation. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Veens Group Cn Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-03-25: Veens Group Cn Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
- civil penalty2026FWO — Hoppers Trailer PTY LTD Cn Penalty
Fair Work Ombudsman media release 2026-03-25: Hoppers Trailer PTY LTD Cn Penalty. See source URL for full facts, penalty, and entities involved.
Scope topics
Parent legislation
Source: regulator's own website. Rules Mate links and summarises — we don't republish full statutory text.