Employers paid a combined $131,836 for job ads that promoted pay rates below the required minimum
Maximum fines have been raised for employers who are advertising jobs that are below the required minimum rate, according to the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), amid an increase in reported cases last year.
The FWO said on Thursday that the maximum penalty for individuals who are promoting job ads with below-minimum rates has increased to $2,184 per contravention.
For companies of any size, the penalty has been raised to $10,920 per contravention.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said the increased penalties took effect on 1 July 2026.
"The maximum penalty is now $2,184 per contravention for an individual or up to $10,920 per contravention for a company of any size. Even more incentive to get that ad right," Booth said in a statement.
The penalty hike is part of the workplace regulator's effort in stamping out job ads offering "dodgy pay rates" to workers before underpayments can happen.
"Prevention is always better than the cure and stamping out job ads that offer dodgy pay rates helps prevent vulnerable workers from being underpaid from the beginning, as well as ensuring a fair playing field for businesses that are doing the right thing," Booth said.
"Employers who don't advertise lawful pay rates face being hit with fines. Repeat or significant breaches can lead to us taking an employer to court."
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