Current News

New minimum wage guarantee for pieceworkers- coming into effect from Thursday 28th April

New minimum wage guarantee for pieceworkers- coming into effect from Thursday 28th April

Minimum wage guarantee
From 28 April 2022, workers paid a piece rate will be guaranteed a minimum wage for each day that they work. This is called a ‘minimum wage guarantee’. Affected pieceworkers have to be paid a minimum amount for the hours that they work each day, effective the first pay period on or after 28 April 2022. This change applies to full-time, part-time and casual employees. See Minimum wage guarantee for pieceworkers.

New record-keeping obligations
Employers have new record-keeping obligations for pieceworkers, including that they record the hours worked by a pieceworker and the piece rates applied. See Record-keeping.

Employers can use our free checklist to help prepare for the new rules for piece rates. Go to New tools and resources.

Visit the FWO website for more information.

Current restrictions in Victoria

The Victorian Government has announced that most COVID-19 restrictions will be removed from 11:59pm, Friday 22 April 2022. Changes will include:

• Vaccination and check in
• Face masks
• Quarantine and isolation
• Workplace contacts

Download the Statewide settings from 11.59pm Friday 22 April 2022 here...

For the latest information regards COVID-19, please follow this link. Agriculture and resources sector guidance | Coronavirus Victoria

• Bislama
• Fijian
• Samoan
• Tongan
• English.  

You can access the resources here..

• Recent changes to pieceworker arrangements
• Navigating the FWO’s Horticulture Showcase
• Understanding the Horticulture Award
• Using the Pay and Conditions Tool to calculate pay rates
•  Accessing the FWO's FREE tools and resources.

What you need to know about recent changes to occupational health and safety legislation
Labour hire workers have been granted additional rights and protections under recent changes to the Occupational Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021 (OHS Act). These changes came into effect on Tuesday, 22 March 2022.
The OHS Act states that a host employer is taken to be an 'employer' of a labour hire worker if a provider of labour hire services supplies the worker to, recruits the worker for, or places the worker with the person to perform work for the person. Visit the Worksafe website for more information...

Victorian Government launches sick pay guarantee for casual workers
After significant consultation with workers, industry and community, the Victorian Government has launched an initiative to pilot sick pay for casual and contract workers in certain occupations in Victoria over the next two years. Visit the Worksafe website to read more...

The Fruit Growers Tasmania Conference 2022 will take place on Thursday 26 May and Friday 27 May 2022 at the Wrest Point Hotel Casino in Hobart.

The 2022 Industry Awards Dinner will also be held at Wrest Point Hotel Casino on Friday 27 May.

More details and bookings coming soon. Visit the Fruit Growers Tasmania website