Farms and labour hire providers in Australia were fined a combined AUD 78,362 (USD 53,206) for breaching pay slips and record-keeping laws in the last year, Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman announced Friday.

“Record-keeping is the bedrock of compliance,” Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said. “Employers who fail to meet these obligations are more likely to be underpaying, whether intentionally or not. It is concerning that inspectors have needed to issue close to AUD 80,000 in fines to employers who breached payslip and records laws.”

Farms and labour hire providers facing fines were in Victoria’s Sunraysia region, South Australia’s River land and New South Wales’ Coffs Harbour and Grafton areas.

Regulators began their agricultural strategy in December 2021 and have investigated 237 businesses in hot spots across Australia.

Fair Work Inspectors have issued a combined 31 infringement notices (fines) totalling AUD 35,964 (USD 24,412) in Sunraysia, AUD 22,644 (USD 15,371) in the Riverland and AUD 19,754 (USD 13,409) in Coffs Harbour and Grafton.

More than 80 agricultural employers have been investigated nationally.

The Fair Work Ombudsman noted there were high levels of compliance in the Queensland areas of Wide Bay and Moreton Bay.

Some farms had rolled out digital systems to scan an identification card to clock workers in and out.