Central Qld University underpaid staff by $1.3m, Fair Work finds

Central Queensland University (CQU) has formally entered into an enforceable undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after self-disclosing systemic underpayments totalling $1.3 million. The remediation process follows an internal review which identified that more than 1,100 current and former staff members were denied their full entitlements due to administrative errors dating back to the university’s 2012 enterprise agreement.

The bulk of the discrepancies affected casual academic and professional employees, stemming from a failure to correctly apply minimum engagement periods and weekend penalty rates across various campuses. Under the terms of the legal agreement, the institution is required to backpay all outstanding wages plus interest, while also committing to a significant contrition payment to the Commonwealth as a gesture of accountability for the industrial oversight.

“This settlement highlights a broader, systemic challenge within the Australian tertiary sector, where the complexity of industrial frameworks often masks significant risks to the financial security of the very educators who sustain our institutions.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Klomp has issued an unreserved apology to the affected workforce, confirming that the university has since implemented rigorous new payroll auditing systems to prevent future lapses. The Fair Work Ombudsman will continue to monitor CQU’s compliance for the next three years, ensuring that the institution maintains the highest standards of wage integrity and industrial transparency moving forward.