Monash has entered into an Enforceable Undertaking (EU) with the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) to ensure its ongoing compliance with Commonwealth workplace laws.
This follows the outcome of the University’s tutorial payments review in 2021 and further ongoing reviews, which led to the University making voluntary disclosures to the FWO in September 2021 and December 2024.
Monash University Provost and Senior Vice-President Professor Susan Elliott AM said the EU was an important milestone and welcomed the opportunity to continue to work with the Fair Work Ombudsman.
“Monash identified and voluntarily disclosed incorrect payment issues to the Fair Work Ombudsman and will continue to work with the FWO to ensure we meet our obligations,” Professor Elliott said.
“On behalf of the University, I apologise unreservedly for the inadvertent and incorrect payments to identified current and former staff in Australia as this was unacceptable.
“Monash is strongly committed to ensuring all staff are paid correctly. We will continue to work with the FWO to ensure we comply with the conditions of the EU.”
The University has already taken significant steps to improve our systems and processes. We are continuing to make improvements including the implementation of the new time and attendance system, and continue with our program of Quality Assurance reviews.
The University has previously publicly announced the outcomes of the Tutorial Review and two Quality Assurance reviews in relation to minimum engagement periods and sessional repeat rates for lectures and tutorials, and apologised to staff.
The EU reflects a number of activities that have already been undertaken by Monash and additional measures that the University will take to ensure ongoing compliance, including systems improvements, training and commissioning audits of employee entitlements.
Monash also previously notified its impacted current and former employees of the contraventions and made remediation payments to affected employees including interest and superannuation. Where Monash has been unable to contact former employees, Monash has paid or will pay the wage underpayment (amount owed excluding superannuation and interest) owing to those affected employees, into the FWO’s Unclaimed Monies Fund.
The University has committed to establish a Compliance Reference Group as a forum to assist with tripartite discussion between Monash, its employees and their representatives about issues relating to systemic wage compliance matters. The Compliance Reference Group will comprise Monash and National Tertiary Education Union nominees. Under the EU, the University has agreed to make a contrition payment of $350,000 which will be paid to the Commonwealth of Australia Consolidated Revenue Fund.
