Employment contract & onboarding pack
Pick the award, classification, employment type, hours, start date and state. You get an employment contract written to the award and the National Employment Standards, a letter of offer, an onboarding checklist with the official Fair Work statements, the minimum rate to pay from the first pay (casual loading included), and a probation and record-keeping note. The preview is free. Word and PDF downloads are included in Pro and every Business plan.
Minimum rates: FWC Modern Awards Pay Database, rates operative 1 July 2026 (snapshot 8 October 2026). Statements and rules checked against fairwork.gov.au and the Fair Work Act on 11 October 2026.
Build the pack
What a new employee must get, and when
The Fair Work Information Statement goes to every new employee before they start, or as soon as possible after. Give the version in force on the day — the Fair Work Ombudsman updates them.
| Document | Who | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Work Information Statement | Every new employee | Before day one, or as soon as possible after | FW Act s.125 |
| Casual Employment Information Statement | Casuals | At the start; again after 12 months (small business) or after 6 and 12 months then yearly (others) | FW Act ss.125A–125B |
| Fixed Term Contract Information Statement | Fixed term contracts | When the contract is entered into | FW Act ss.333J–333K |
| TFN declaration | Every new employee | At the start, so tax is withheld correctly | ATO |
| Super standard choice form | Most new employees | Within 28 days of the start; stapled fund if no choice | ATO |
| Pay slips | Every employee | Within 1 working day of each pay day | FW Act s.536 |
What the contract has to get right
- Pay at or above the award minimum for the classification, with the 25% casual loading shown separately for casuals. A contract can't pay less than the award (FW Act s.45).
- NES entitlements: 4 weeks' annual leave (5 for award-defined shiftworkers, s.87), 10 days' personal/carer's leave (s.96), 10 days' paid family and domestic violence leave, notice by length of service (s.117) and redundancy pay unless you're a small business (ss.119, 121). Terms below the NES have no effect (s.56).
- Hours: full-time ordinary hours are capped at 38 a week plus reasonable additional hours (s.62). "No overtime ever" clauses don't remove award overtime.
- Casuals: the s.15A definition and the employee choice pathway to permanent work, not the old employer-offer model replaced on 26 August 2024.
- No pay secrecy: employees may disclose their pay (ss.333B–333D), and they can refuse unreasonable out-of-hours contact (s.333M).
- Restraints: non-compete clauses must be no wider than reasonably necessary. A ban for workers under the high income threshold has been announced, expected from 2027 — it isn't in force yet.
Check an existing contract
Paste a contract to check it against the rules above: rate below the award minimum, missing NES entitlements, an outdated or missing casual conversion clause, unlawful terms such as "no overtime" or pay secrecy, and non-compete red flags. Pattern checks only — they run in your browser and nothing is stored.
Dates to diary after the start
- Unfair dismissal minimum employment period: 6 months, or 1 year for a small business employer (ss.382–383). Finish probation reviews before it.
- Casual conversion: from 6 months (12 for small business) a casual may notify you; respond in writing within 21 days (Part 2-2 Div 4A).
- Casual Employment Information Statement re-issue at the set intervals (FWO).
- Annual Wage Review: new minimum rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July.
- Junior rate steps at each birthday under 21 — and for Retail, Fast Food and Pharmacy, the phase-in to adult rates from 1 December 2026 ([2026] FWCFB 222).
The HR Day desk keeps these dates for your whole team and exports them to your calendar (free for up to 3 staff). Questions about a particular hire? Ask the AI workplace advisor.
Common questions
What documents must I give a new employee in Australia?
Every new employee must get the Fair Work Information Statement before they start or as soon as possible after (Fair Work Act s.125). Casuals also get the Casual Employment Information Statement (ss.125A–125B), and anyone on a fixed term contract gets the Fixed Term Contract Information Statement (ss.333J–333K). The ATO also expects a tax file number declaration and, for most employees, a superannuation standard choice form within 28 days of the start date.
How much must I pay a new casual employee?
At least the award's adult minimum hourly rate for their classification plus the 25% casual loading. For example, a Retail Employee Level 1 under the General Retail Industry Award has an adult minimum of $27.81 an hour from 1 July 2026, so a casual must get at least $34.76 an hour before penalty rates (FWC Modern Awards Pay Database).
Does a probation period stop an unfair dismissal claim?
No. Probation is a contract term. Unfair dismissal protection depends on the minimum employment period in the Fair Work Act: 6 months, or 1 year for a small business employer with fewer than 15 employees (ss.382–383). NES entitlements, including leave accrual, apply in full during probation.
When can a casual ask to become permanent?
Under the employee choice pathway (Fair Work Act Part 2-2 Division 4A, in force since 26 August 2024), a casual can notify the employer in writing after at least 6 months' employment, or 12 months with a small business employer, if they believe they no longer meet the casual definition. The employer must respond in writing within 21 days.
How long can a fixed term contract run?
Fixed term contracts made from 6 December 2023 can't run longer than 2 years, including extensions, and can't be extended more than once, unless an exception applies (Fair Work Act s.333E).
What employment records do I have to keep?
Time and wages records for 7 years, in English, legible and readily accessible to a Fair Work Inspector: pay rate, gross and net pay, deductions, hours for casual and irregular part-time employees, leave, super contributions and fund choice, and termination details (Fair Work Act s.535; Fair Work Regulations 2009 regs 3.31–3.44). Pay slips are due within 1 working day of pay day (s.536).
Sources
- Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and Fair Work Regulations 2009 — legislation.gov.au
- Fair Work Information Statement, Casual Employment Information Statement, Fixed Term Contract Information Statement — Fair Work Ombudsman
- Becoming a permanent employee, fixed term contracts, probation, record-keeping — Fair Work Ombudsman
- Minimum rates: Fair Work Commission Modern Awards Pay Database (FairWork Mate snapshot 8 October 2026)
- TFN declaration and super choice — Australian Taxation Office
General information for national system employers, not legal advice. Check the award, any enterprise agreement and your facts before using a document.