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Know your rights at work
Know your rights

Learn more about your rights at work with our videos, how-tos, blogs and articles.

Getting paid the right amount

Getting Paid Right, Minimum Wages - Victoria - Youth CentralWhen you’re looking for work or even if you’ve already got a job, one of the main things on your mind is money.

You can talk to your friends, but they each get paid differently, depending on how old they are and where they work. So how do you know if you’re getting paid right?

Minimum wages for jobs

Fair Work Australia (new window) sets minimum wage rates for different types of jobs and workers. It’s illegal for you to be paid less than the minimum wage that they set.

Fair Work Australia's Finding the right pay page (new window) has some great tools for finding out what the minimum wage is in  your industry. You can also call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94.

Finally, the Fair Work Ombudsman's National Minimum Wages page (new window) has information on minimum rates of pay, as well as rates of pay for different ages and for apprentices.

The ACTU's Your rights at work for students page (new window) also contains useful info about salaries and handy factsheets to download.

Average salaries for graduate positions

Graduates start on different salaries depending on their industry or profession and a whole heap of other factors like whether or not they have experience and whether or not the position is part of a graduate recruitment program (find out more about graduate recruitment programs on our Graduate Recruitment Programs page).

Graduate Opportunities (new window) is an Australian website with industry profiles that include details about how much graduates get paid.

What to do if you’re being underpaid

If you don't think you're getting paid as much as you legally should be, there are some things you can do to sort it out.

If you signed a contract or an agreement before starting your job and you think you're being paid less than the legal amount, or working in unfair conditions, you can contact JobWatch (new window) or the Fair Work Ombudsman (new window) to get some advice on what steps you can take.

If you don’t have anything in writing, but you think that you’re not being paid enough, you should start by finding out the standard pay in your industry for someone of your age and qualifications. You can do this by:

  • Contacting your union or the relevant industry body
  • Asking people who work in the same industry as you
  • Checking out out the pay offered in ads for jobs like yours
  • Calling the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94

For more information on pay rates, as well as info about superannuation and tax, check out our Salary & wages page.

Links

Fair Work Ombudsman
Gives advice and helps people understand their workplace rights and responsibilities, including minimum wages and award conditions.

Fair Work Australia
Sets minimum wage rates for different types of jobs and workers. Find out how much you should be paid, or call them on 13 13 94.

Jobwatch
Statewide community legal centre specialising in issues for workers in Victoria, and offering free and confidential advice.

Graduate Opportunities
Search the industry profiles that provide details about how jobs in that industry and how much graduates get paid.

ACTU Your Rights at Work for Students
The Australian Council of Trade Unions provide lots of introductory information about the world of work


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