This article originally appeared at My Business.

Maximum penalties for breaching business record-keeping laws have recently doubled, providing twice the incentive for business leaders to keep their paperwork in order.

“Every Australian employer is obligated to keep accurate employment records,” said Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James.

It is imperative that businesses get the basics right, as there are numerous cases of businesses failing to keep their records straight. Workers often suffer the greatest as a result of inaccurate records; as it becomes difficult to determine if individuals are receiving their entitlements.

“We welcome the penalty increase for employers who fail to meet their record-keeping obligations although we would prefer if business operators did the right thing from the outset.”

According to the FWO, inaccurate record-keeping or employee payslips is a major concern: some two-thirds of the court cases it instigated last financial year were a direct result of such breaches.

Ms James noted that one such case involved a company located in Queensland, together with its manager, were fined over $84,000 for repeated breaches, even after a previous caution by the FWO.
 

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