Identification and remediation of incorrect payments to casual professional staff
Early in 2021, while configuring its new payroll system, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) detected a potential issue relating to the payment of some of its professional casual staff.
Following investigation, with the support of professional services firm Deloitte, it was determined that some staff had been paid less than the three-hour minimum to which they were entitled over a six-year period.
UTS has apologised unreservedly to the impacted staff and taken steps to make things right. UTS has undertaken a remediation program to rectify the identified underpayments and ensure the issue does not reoccur.
As soon as the error was found, UTS chose to self-report the underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman. UTS has worked co-operatively and openly with the Ombudsman since that time.
UTS has now agreed to an enforceable undertaking with the Ombudsman.
At the time of the undertaking, the total underpayment equated to $4,419,883.72, and affected 2777 current and former casual professional staff. Additional costs of $235,828.78 in relation to superannuation and $1,107,883.96 in relation to interest owed, were also identified.
More than 80 per cent of the above costs have now been paid, with the remainder to be paid in coming months.
As well as confirming the amounts to be repaid, the enforceable undertaking also provides that UTS will conduct a broader review of compliance with employee entitlement obligations under applicable enterprise agreements.
UTS is committed to ensuring that all employees are receiving their full entitlements and has recently commenced the broader review of employee entitlement obligations to make sure that all staff are paid correctly. UTS has engaged external consultants to support the broader review.
If UTS identifies any non-compliance in the broader review, it will make any needed reparation payments, together with any superannuation and interest on the underpayments.
If you have any enquiries about this statement, please contact newsroom@uts.edu.au.
