Find the latest news and updates relevant to you, a small business employer. This includes changes to workplace laws and new products or tools available.
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On this page
- 1 July 2026: Minimum wages increase from 1 July 2026
- 26 August 2025: Start of the right to disconnect and casual changes for small businesses
- 19 June 2025: Get ready for the right to disconnect with our new videos
- 2 January 2025: New criminal underpayment laws have started
Minimum wages increase from 1 July 2026
Published 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026:
- the National Minimum Wage increases to $1,004.90 per week or $26.44 per hour
- award minimum wages increase by 4.75%.
The increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026.
To find the new pay rates that will apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, you can:
- use our Pay and Conditions Tool
- check the rates in our updated Pay guides.
Learn more about the minimum wage increase at Minimum wages increase from 1 July 2026.
Start of the right to disconnect and casual changes for small businesses
Published 26 August 2025
Changes have started for small business employees and their employers. Learn more about the right to disconnect and casual changes, and what you can do next.
What’s changed
Right to disconnect
The right to disconnect applies to employees of small business employers from 26 August 2025. It has applied to employees of non-small business employers since 26 August 2024.
The right to disconnect gives employees the right to refuse to monitor, read or reply to contact (or attempted contact) outside their working hours, unless doing so is unreasonable. This includes contact (or attempted contact) from an employer or a third party.
Casual changes
From 26 August 2025, eligible casuals employed by a small business can issue a notice to their employer (in writing) to change to full-time or part-time employment under the employee choice pathway. There are rules you need to follow when responding to a notice from an employee.
What you can do now
We have information and resources to help you understand and apply these changes.
Go to Right to disconnect to:
- understand the rules about the right to disconnect, including the factors to consider when working out whether an employee’s refusal is unreasonable
- find practical examples and access tailored award information for your industry
- debunk common myths and get tips for discussing out of hours contact
- find out about protections and how to resolve disputes
- watch our videos for small business to help understand the rules, have a conversation with an employee and take practical steps to apply the rules.
Go to Becoming a permanent employee to:
- learn about the employee choice pathway and how casuals can change to full-time or part-time employment
- understand the rules and access our free templates to help you make or respond to a notice.
You can also download our Guide to casual employment which has handy tips, examples and answers to frequently asked questions to help you understand the rules around casual employment.
Get ready for the right to disconnect with our new videos
Published 19 June 2025
Right to disconnect laws apply to small businesses from Tuesday 26 August 2025.
The right to disconnect gives employees the right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact (or attempted contact) outside their working hours, unless doing so is unreasonable. This includes contact (or attempted contact) from an employer or a third party.
Watch our new videos to help you get ready for the changes.
Our videos cover:
- what the right to disconnect rules are and how they apply to your small business
- how to have a conversation with your employees about the new rules
- practical steps you can take to apply the rules and avoid issues in the workplace.
Each video has subtitles available in Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai and Arabic.
Watch the videos, and find more information, on our Right to disconnect page.
New criminal underpayment laws have started
Published 2 January 2025
New criminal underpayment laws started on 1 January 2025. Here’s a reminder about what’s changed and how to protect your business.
What’s changed
From 1 January 2025, intentional underpayment of wages or entitlements can be a criminal offence. If a person is convicted of a criminal offence, a court can impose fines, prison time, or both.
We can’t refer a small business employer’s conduct for possible criminal prosecution if we’re satisfied that they’ve complied with the Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code (Code) in relation to an underpayment.
What you can do now
You can:
- Download and use the Code and supporting guide to make sure you’re paying employees correctly.
- Use our free tools and resources, including our calculators to check pay rates.
- Make sure you’re prepared for the changes by learning more about:
Keep up to date
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