The National Retail Association (NRA) with the assistance of the Western Australian Government have launched the Wage Right Compliance Hub, an educational online resource designed to assist small and medium sized businesses with wage compliance.
Dominique Lamb, CEO of the National Retail Association, has said that one of the key causes of wage non-compliance by retailers is a lack of understanding of employment obligations.
“It’s often been said that those operating in the retail sector have an intimate understanding of just how complex wage compliance can be.”
“Most people outside the sector think we’re exaggerating when we say that since 2013 retailers have had to deal with nearly 14,000 different rates of pay depending on variables such as whether the employee is casual or permanent, their age, their classification and the times at which the work is performed. This number easily doubles if you consider shift workers, baking production employees, apprentices and those working under the supported wage system.”
“The NRA applauds the Western Australian Government for recognising the complexity of the system, and engaging our considerable experience to develop this educational hub which provides clear, easy to understand information on how to be compliant.”
“Many retailers do not have access to well-resourced HR departments to provide in-house advice to safeguard against unintentional mistakes. That’s where the NRA comes in. As the only retail industry association to have represented retailers in all State-based wage theft inquiries, the NRA has consistently advocated for greater education and assistance to help employers navigate Australia’s complex industrial relations systems.”
The Wage Right Compliance Hub provides employers with resources to assist with identifying what industrial instruments in the National or Western Australia State system may apply to a business, how to classify employees correctly and practical guidance on how to avoid common pay and record-keeping errors.
While the NRA anticipates that the Wage Right Compliance Hub will be a tremendous resource for retailers the information on the Hub will be equally as useful for employers from other industries.
For more information, Western Australian retailers should visit www.wageright.com.au