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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Minimum wages increase 3.5% from 1 July 2025

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Published 1 July 2025

From 1 July 2025:

  • the National Minimum Wage increases by 3.5% to $948 per week or $24.95 per hour
  • award minimum wages increase by 3.5%.

Other award wages, including junior, apprentice and supported wages that are based on adult minimum wages, will get a proportionate increase.

The increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2025.

You can now:

Learn more about the minimum wage increase at Minimum wages increase 3.5% from 1 July 2025.

Get ready for the right to disconnect with our new videos

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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

Magnifying glass with text reading Criminal underpayment laws

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:

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Closing Loopholes: Changes to workplace laws have started

Banner illustration with text reading Closing Loopholes' Published 26 August 2024

Several changes to workplace laws started on 26 August 2024 as part of the Closing Loopholes reforms.

It’s important that you understand your new rights and responsibilities.

What you should do now

We’ve updated our information. Check now if you or your workplace is affected.

  • Casual employment changes - Rules about casual employment have changed, including how casual work is defined, pathways to permanent employment, and employee and employer responsibilities. Read more about casual employees and pathways to permanent employment.
  • Right to disconnect - Employees have the right to refuse contact outside their working hours unless that refusal is unreasonable. Learn about the new right to disconnect. This doesn’t apply to small business and their employees until 26 August 2025.
  • Independent contractor changes - If you’re a contractor or work with contractors, it’s important you understand the new definition of employment and other changes to independent contractor rules.
  • Minimum standards and protections for some contractors - If you’re in the gig economy or road transport industry, find out about new minimum standards and protections for some contractors. Visit Regulated workers.

Find out more about changes already in place at Closing Loopholes.

For a visual snapshot of all the Closing Loopholes changes and when they start, check out our easy-to-read timeline.

Updated information statements

We’ve updated our information statements in line with the new laws.

Employers must give every new employee one or more information statement when they start work. The Casual Employment Information Statement must now be provided at set times throughout a casual’s employment.

Download the updated statements here:

Keep up to date

To stay up to date and be notified with updates that are relevant to you, subscribe to our email updates. It only takes a few moments to sign up and will help you stay in the loop with changes to workplace laws.