Pay compliance and remediation

In 2023, the University engaged in an external review of our payroll compliance. The review found some instances of staff underpayments, mostly in relation to casual staff.

The discrepancies have not been widespread or systematic but primarily caused by differing interpretation of our Enterprise Agreement or data entry errors.

UniSQ has commenced the implementation of a range of system, process and control improvements to ensure it provides a compliant pay environment and that these issues don’t occur in the future. These changes will be accompanied by an education program of managers, supervisors and employees to ensure entitlements are clearly understood.

We have also negotiated a simplified Enterprise Agreement to ensure the correct application of benefits and entitlements to staff. Where employees have questions or concerns about entitlements, your relevant People Partner should be contacted in the first instance.

Following the Vice-Chancellor’s announcement to staff in April 2023, the University proceeded with an external review of its pay compliance.

As a result of the external review, the University has calculated remediation payments owing to current and past employees and contacted those affected employees via email or letter to advise them of the underpayments.

Relevant payments will be made to employees in early February 2024.

If you were not contacted in writing by the University, and have concerns regarding a potential underpayment, please provide details of your concerns via email to PayrollEnquiries@unisq.edu.au.

The university continues to review all payroll categories, including superannuation, to ensure employees are remediated for any underpayments.

Putting things right will take time and a great deal of work which has already commenced and is continuing as a matter of priority. The University is working through a remediation program and aims to pay individuals affected in early 2024 and is inclusive of any back-pay owed from 1 January 2015 onwards, in addition to superannuation and interest.

Employees affected by superannuation guarantee underpayments will receive communication directly from the ATO advising information on any payment to your superannuation fund.

The University will commence making payments in February 2024. For employees who have requested further information, these circumstances will be investigated and payments made as soon as investigations have been completed.

If you are a past employee, you can request that the University updates your bank account details by emailing PayrollEnquiries@unisq.edu.au. Where employees have advised updated details, these have been updated and the payment will be paid accordingly.

Current employees should use HR Self Service.

No. The University will not request employees to repay overpayments made to any individual.

Lump sum back payments, such as the remediation payments, may be taxed and reported differently to an employee’s normal salary and wage income, depending on the payment amount and the period it relates to. Lump sum payments are included as assessable income in an employee’s tax return in the income year in which they receive the payment, which means that employees need not amend previous tax returns. More information about lump sum payments in arrears is available on the ATO website.