Wage remediation program

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UNSW is dedicated to ensuring that all staff are compensated accurately and in a timely manner, in accordance with our Enterprise Agreements and relevant legislation. We are committed to doing the right thing, including meeting our obligations as an employer, and working together to ensure that our people are paid the right amount at the right time for work they perform.

To address historical underpayments, UNSW is conducting a comprehensive review of payments made to current and former casual academic staff, covering the period from 1 January 2014 to 15 December 2023. A further area of review more broadly examines payroll data for other employees, including professional employees, relating to the period from 26 February 2016 to 15 December 2023. 

UNSW deeply regrets any underpayments and sincerely apologises to everyone impacted. UNSW is wholly committed to ensuring we pay our people correctly. To support this ongoing commitment, UNSW has initiated and implemented actions to ensure compliance with workplace laws and to deliver pay confidence. Advancements include the Time and Attendance system for recording work hours, mandatory compliance training, and the establishment of a confidential Employee Advocate portal for staff to raise pay-related queries.  

We maintain regular communication with regulators and other stakeholders including the Fair Work Ombudsman, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) as we continue this review. 

The review is ongoing. As the reviews progress, UNSW is contacting current and former staff identified as underpaid.

FAQs

  • Current and former staff at UNSW identified as been underpaid will be contacted directly by UNSW, with details of the reasons for the discrepancy and the remediation amount. The letter will include details of any steps that need to be taken before payment can be processed. Once your payment has been processed, you will receive a confirmation from our team.

    Super payments will be made by the ATO on super payment due dates. 

  • Current staff can confidentially raise questions or concerns about their pay and/or entitlements by contacting the Employee Advocate Team via the contact details on the HR Hub Employee Advocate page.  

    Former employees can submit an enquiry by emailing payqueries@unsw.edu.au.

    If communicating with UNSW via either of these channels, please provide any relevant information that will help us understand the situation better, including supporting documentation where available.

  • If you are due to receive a back payment, you will receive an email from our internal UNSW team, who are managing the coordination and administration of remediation payments. The email will come from:

    This page on the official UNSW website has been created to provide information about how UNSW is addressing pay remediation. If you would like verification over the phone, please email hrremediationteam@unsw.edu.au or payqueries@unsw.edu.au or hrcasuals@unsw.edu.au advising your best contact number and a member of the team will be in contact.

    If you believe you have received a message that is a scam, do not respond to it and please advise us by calling +61 2 9348 0665.

  • The review is ongoing. If you were engaged by more than one work area and are found to be underpaid in more than one work area, you will be notified of each underpayment separately. When we prepare each letter, we will note the most recent work area you were engaged in.

  • No, the University does not provide personal financial advice. If you have any questions about the taxation or financial implications of the payment, we recommend that you seek advice from a qualified tax or finance professional. UNSW is not required to, and will not, compensate for any tax consequences that arise from your personal circumstances.

  • To meet our Australian Tax Office obligations, UNSW is not able to divert super payments into an individual bank account.

  • Sacrificing arrangements must be in accordance with ATO guidelines, and an agreement must be in place to salary sacrifice prior to the work to which the payment relates being performed.

  • Yes. If you no longer reside in Australia and do not have an active Australian bank account, payment can be made to your overseas account by wire transfer. Your bank may apply fees to international transactions. While the payment and interest on the payment can be made into an overseas bank account, UNSW is obliged to pay any superannuation payment and interest on superannuation amounts to a superannuation fund that meets the specific requirements and obligations under Australian super law. If you no longer have an active Australian superannuation account, you can either:

    • be set up with a UniSuper account and you will be notified by UniSuper with your account details, or

    • set up a complying superannuation account with a different provider and payment can be made into this fund.

  • The University has a legal obligation to make these payments directly to you and are unable to make a donation on your behalf.

    If you would like to give to a specific cause at UNSW, you can find out more here: Giving | UNSW Sydney.

  • Current or former UNSW staff who have any questions in relation to the review process or their underpayment can submit an enquiry by replying to the email received about payment or contacting: