June 2025

In a high-profile reminder of the importance of payroll compliance, Queensland’s Griffith University has committed to repaying more than $8 million to thousands of underpaid staff, following a formal agreement with the Fair Work Ombudsman.

The underpayments, which occurred between 2015 and 2024, impacted approximately 5,457 current and former employees—primarily casual academic and professional staff—across the university’s six campuses in south-east Queensland. The majority of affected employees were based in Brisbane, working in faculties such as arts, education, law, business, health, and science.

What Went Wrong?

The Fair Work Ombudsman identified a series of issues contributing to the underpayments, including:

• Insufficient training for course convenors and administrators

• Payroll system deficiencies

• Lack of adequate data review processes

• Poor management of HR Services

Individual repayments varied widely, with some employees owed less than $1, and others more than $92,400. In total, Griffith University will pay $8.34 million, which includes interest and superannuation.

Steps Toward Remediation

In a positive step, the university self-reported the issue to the Ombudsman in 2022 and has since cooperated fully with investigations. As part of an Enforceable Undertaking, Griffith University will:

• Make a $175,000 contrition payment to the Cleaning Accountability Framework, a non-profit advocating for fair labour conditions

• Roll out a series of compliance measures to prevent future breaches

• Strengthen internal processes to meet its obligations under enterprise agreements and awards

A Cautionary Tale for Employers

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth highlighted the broader implications of this case, warning employers of the risks that come with poor governance:

“This matter serves as a warning of the significant long-running problems that can result from an employer failing to have appropriate checks and balances to ensure workplace compliance.”

Our Take

This is not an isolated incident. Many large organisations—particularly in higher education, retail, and healthcare—are discovering historical underpayments stemming from flawed systems and internal oversights.

At Employment Partners, we help employers avoid these pitfalls. Whether you’re managing casual workforces, interpreting complex awards, or needing system and process reviews, we partner with you to:

• Manage HR Services

• Conduct payroll audits

• Review your enterprise agreement compliance

• Train managers and administrators on accurate pay classification and entitlements

• Build systems with HR and payroll integrity

Don’t wait for an investigation. Proactively safeguard your business and employees by putting the right compliance structures in place.

Need a HR/payroll compliance check or us to Manage your HR Service? Contact us today for a confidential consultation.