Insights

Changes from the Secure Jobs Better Pay Act 2022

On 6 December 2022, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 received royal assent and became the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (the Act). These changes from the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act marked the most extensive industrial relations reforms to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) since its introduction. These amendments have been embedded as objects in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), forming part of the commitment of the Australian Government to improve job security and put gender equality at the centre of the workplace relations system. Key Amendments Prohibiting Pay Secrecy Clauses The Act prohibits the inclusion of pay secrecy clauses in an employee’s contract of employment. This amendment also provides the workplace right for both current and future employees to share, or not share, information about their pay and employment terms and conditions. Employees are given the positive right to discuss their pay and employment terms and conditions with other employees, with the purpose of creating transparency, protecting employees from adverse action for exercising this right, and to enable employees to assess whether they are being fairly paid. The amendments apply to new employment contracts or other… Read More