Would your employment records tell the same story?
Your contract says one thing. The roster shows another. Payroll reflects an arrangement made several years ago. Everyone understands how it works—until someone questions it.
Recent enquiries to the MTA NSW Employment Relations Team have highlighted a recurring issue: gaps between workplace practices and the records supporting them.
Those gaps can turn an otherwise manageable question about wages, duties or performance into a lengthy dispute. Also, investigations by government regulators can be handled efficiently if you have the records to support your position.
Good records are not only legally required but help establish what happened. They can identify an error that needs correcting, support a fair management decision or help challenge an inaccurate claim.
Five checks worth making now
1. Does the job description match the job?
Roles change. Employees take on additional duties, move between departments or assume greater responsibility. Their paperwork does not always follow.
Check that the position description reflects the work being performed and review whether the award classification remains appropriate. A job title alone does not determine an employee’s entitlements.
2. Does payroll reflect the hours actually worked?
A roster shows when someone was expected to work. It does not necessarily show when they started, finished, took breaks or worked additional hours.
Keep reliable records of actual hours and check that payroll applies the relevant ordinary hours, overtime and penalty provisions. Paying above the award rate does not, by itself, establish that every entitlement has been met.
3. Are changed arrangements clearly documented?
“We agreed to that years ago” can be difficult to establish when recollections differ.
Record changes to hours, duties and pay, and check whether the applicable award requires a particular form of agreement. An employee’s agreement does not make an arrangement lawful if it falls below minimum entitlements.
4. Are workplace concerns recorded when they happen?
If attendance, performance or conduct is becoming a problem, address it early.
Keep factual notes: what happened, when it happened, what was discussed, the employee’s explanation and the next steps. Give the employee an opportunity to respond and genuinely consider that response.
A letter prepared at the end of the process cannot replace the conversations and evidence needed along the way.
5. Can you find the records when you need them?
Information scattered across phones, notebooks, emails and payroll systems can be difficult to piece together.
Use a consistent, secure filing system and limit access to those who need it. Employers must keep time and wages records for seven years, including the overtime records required by law.
A practical starting point
Choose one employee file this week. Compare the contract, position description, roster and payroll records. Do they give a clear and consistent account of the employment arrangements?
If they do not, investigate the difference and correct it properly.
Review your records while the working relationship is going well. It is much harder to fill the gaps once a dispute starts.