Payday Super Starts July 2026: How to Check Your Employer Is Paying on Time

From 1 July 2026, employers must pay your superannuation guarantee (SG) at the same time as your wages — every pay cycle. This replaces the current system where employers can pay super quarterly (up to 28 days after the end of each quarter).

The current SG rate is 12% of your ordinary time earnings. On a $70,000 salary, that's $8,400/year in super — and under the new rules, your employer can't sit on it for three months.

This is a massive change. An estimated $5.2 billion in super goes unpaid each year, partly because the quarterly system gives dodgy employers room to delay or "forget."

Under the current quarterly system:

• Employers can hold your super for up to 4 months before paying
• If a business goes bust, you can lose months of unpaid super
• Your super misses out on compound investment returns during those months
• It's harder to track whether super has actually been paid

Payday super fixes all of this. Your super goes in with every payslip, so you can check it in real time and catch problems immediately.

Over a career, the difference in compound returns from receiving super on time can add up to tens of thousands of dollars at retirement.

From July 2026, you should see super contributions matching every pay cycle. Here's how to check:

• Check your payslip: Your payslip must show the super amount. Under payday super, the payment should match the pay period
• Log into your super fund: Most funds have an app or online portal showing contributions and dates
• Check ATO online services: Log into myGov → ATO → Super → check your contribution history
• Use our super calculator: Enter your salary to see what 12% should be each pay period

If there's a gap between your payslip showing super and the money actually hitting your fund, allow a few business days for processing — but it shouldn't take weeks.

If you suspect your employer is late or not paying super at all:

• Step 1: Raise it with your employer in writing (email). Ask for confirmation of payment dates
• Step 2: Check your super fund for actual contributions received
• Step 3: If there's a confirmed shortfall, report it to the ATO using the "Report unpaid super" tool on their website
• Step 4: The ATO will investigate and can issue directions to your employer, plus charge penalties

Under the new payday super rules, penalties for non-compliance are stricter. Employers who don't pay on time face the Super Guarantee Charge (SGC), which includes the unpaid amount, interest, and an admin fee. Use our SGC penalty calculator to see what your employer would owe.

The SG applies to most employees aged 18 and over (and under-18s who work 30+ hours/week). This includes:

• Full-time and part-time employees — yes
• Casual employees — yes, from the first dollar earned (no minimum threshold since July 2022)
• Contractors — only if you're paid mainly for your labour (not materials or results)

There's no minimum earnings threshold — if you earn $50 in a pay period, your employer owes $6 in super.

Get ahead of the change:

• Check your super fund app: Make sure you can see contributions in real time
• Verify your current super is up to date: Use ATO online services to check there are no gaps from the quarterly system
• Know your rate: 12% of ordinary time earnings. Use our super calculator to confirm the right amount per pay period
• Set a reminder: After 1 July, check your first few payslips to confirm your employer has switched to payday super