Scheduling a compulsory meeting? It’s mandatory to pay them

Did you know that in Australia, if a staff meeting is compulsory for an employee to attend, it’s considered working time and must be paid?

Without employees, businesses wouldn’t run, but to do that effectively, they must be trained, informed, and up to date on the latest industry news. So, how do you communicate with your people to ensure they all get the same information? The answer: compulsory meetings.

Like with most businesses, there comes a time when every employee must gather to receive essential information and updates about operations, issues, and upcoming events. And because these meetings are considered compulsory, employers must pay their staff for attending.

Here, our experts break down the dos and don’ts of compulsory staff meetings and why they must be managed properly.

The five key points to remember about compulsory staff meetings

1. Mandatory means paid: any compulsory meeting, whether held outside ordinary working hours or on a day off, is considered paid work time. Employers are legally required to compensate employees for their attendance.
2. Providing sufficient notice: business owners must give employees adequate notice for changes to working hours or rosters, and this includes meeting times. For example, if a meeting is scheduled before the business opens or after hours, employees should be informed well in advance to allow them to plan accordingly.
3. Overtime or penalty rates: if organised outside of regular working hours or on an employee’s day off, payment may attract overtime or penalty rates. These rates are determined by the applicable modern award, enterprise agreement, or employment contract, ensuring employees are fairly compensated for their time.
4. Non-attendance is acceptable in some cases: some staff won’t be able to attend – and that’s okay! Employees have lives outside of work, and sometimes personal commitments or caring responsibilities can restrict an employee from attending these meetings. Employers should respect these situations and not penalise employees for non-attendance. However, employees may be expected to review the meeting’s content or catch up on key information in their own time.
5. Consult employment contracts, award or enterprise agreements: payment and entitlements for compulsory meetings are typically outlined in the relevant modern award, enterprise agreement, or employment contract. Employers should consult these documents to ensure compliance and to guarantee employees are paid correctly for their time and effort.

How Citation HR can help streamline your payroll processes

The team at Citation HR offers industry-leading payroll compliance services. If you’re not 100 per cent confident with your payroll processes or award/agreement interpretation, get in touch via our 24/7 HR Advice Line.

Not a Citation HR client? Need advice on compulsory meetings? Citation HR can support your business on a range of workplace matters.