Important steps before lodging a complaint

Step 1: Find out if your job is covered by a NSW award

To work out if you have been paid incorrectly or have not received the entitlements that are part of your award, you need to know:

• the name of your award
• your classification under the award
• your employment status (full-time, part-time or casual)
• the award pay rate applying to your job
• the entitlements owing to you under this award (for example, annual leave, penalty rates, overtime, etc).
  

For more information go to Awards Online or phone 131 628.

Step 2: Write to your employer about outstanding payments

If you believe you have not received the correct pay or entitlements, you should write to your employer about the problem. Your employer may have made a genuine mistake that can be easily rectified by discussing the issue with you. 

Step 3: Consider your options

If you have completed steps 1 and 2 and still believe that you are owed pay or entitlements, you can proceed in lodging a complaint, however you may also wish to consider:

• contacting your union for assistance or
• taking court action through a small claims application (a solicitor may be able to assist you to prepare a claim against your employer).

If you decide to take your own action through a small claims application, a free Guide to recovering unpaid wages available from this website.

If you wish to make a formal complaint to the NSW IR, please complete the following Online Complaint Form.