Am I Being Underpaid? How to check your real hourly rate

Wage theft isn't rare — it's common, and casual, young and migrant workers are hit hardest. The catch is that underpayment is easy to miss when you don't know your correct rate. Here's how to check whether you're actually being paid what you're owed.

Warning signs

• A single flat rate with no extra for nights, weekends or public holidays.
• No payslips, or payslips that don’t show hours and rates.
• "Cash in hand" with no records.
• Pay that doesn’t change no matter when you work.
• A rate below the relevant award minimum.

How to check

Find your award and minimum rates at fairwork.gov.au, note the correct base and penalty rates for your role, then compare them against what your payslip actually paid for each shift.

Worked example — spotting it

You work 6 hours on a Sunday. Your award says Sunday is 1.75× a $28 base = $49/hour, so you should earn $294. Your payslip shows the flat $28 = $168. That’s a $126 underpayment for one shift — and if it happens every Sunday, it adds up to thousands a year.

What to do

Keep your own shift records, raise it with your employer in writing, and if it isn’t fixed, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman. Your own log of dates, hours and rates is the evidence that makes your case.