AGRICULTURAL employers have been granted new options by the Australian Taxation Office to move toward a single touch payroll system.

Although the 30 September deadline for small employers (19 or fewer employees) to move to single touch payroll (STP) has passed, the ATO wants to remind farmers – and all employers in the agriculture industry – that they have options.

STP is a new way of reporting tax and super information to the ATO, with employers sending their employees’ salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and super information electronically each time they pay their employees.

The ATO recognises that employers in this industry have unique challenges, different ways of working and managing payroll, particularly if they operate a small farm with 1-4 employees or have a fluctuating seasonal workforce.

To support their transition to STP, the ATO has released concessions for employers in the agriculture industry – outlined in an information guide available for download.

Horticulture Showcase

It is now easier for you to understand your workplace rights and responsibilities under the Horticulture Award and the Wine Award.

The new Horticulture Showcase includes resources and information to help workers and growers find information about pay and entitlements.

The Showcase can also be translated in over 30 different languages.

Click here to visit the Horticulture Showcase.

Changes to public holiday substitution rules

On 4 October 2019, terms allowing an employer to unilaterally substitute a public holiday or substitute a public holiday with agreement from the majority of their staff will be removed from awards that contain them. Instead, employers and individual employees can agree to substitute another day (or part-day) for a public holiday.

Public holiday entitlements will apply to the substituted day for any employees that agree. For any employees that don’t agree to the substitution, the original public holiday will attract public holiday entitlements.

You can read the Fair Work Commission’s decision for more information.

Please note new changes:

All employees working on a public holiday, are entitled to be paid at the Horticulture Award Public Holiday rate of 200%.  A direct excerpt from the award is contained below. 

Farms are one of our most dangerous workplaces. While some farm risks are obvious, some are not. This quick farm safety checklist will help identify how safe your farm is, and what you can do to reduce or eliminate risks.

This document tells you:

• what the law says about safe workplaces
• your responsibilities around managing risks on your farm
• how to rate risks on your farm
• how to prioritise and address the highest risk activities

Download the 15 Minute Farm Safety Check here

Providers who submit an application before 30 October 2019 may continue to operate until a decision is made on their application.

From 30 October 2019, hosts must only use licensed labour hire providers or providers who have applied for a licence before 30 October 2019 and have not had their application refused.  Hosts are encouraged to visit the Authority's website to check whether providers have submitted an application or have been granted a licence.

Hosts Responsibilities
Unfortunately, some organisations are requiring all their service providers to obtain labour hire licences without considering whether the arrangement is for the provision of labour hire services, and in some circumstances hosts are requiring their service providers to provide confirmation that a labour hire licence is not necessary. 

Hosts should refer to the Authority’s website, the Act and Regulations to consider whether their own arrangements are for the provision of labour hire services.
If hosts are still unsure, they should consider seeking their own legal advice. Hosts should not be requiring their service providers to provide letters of exemption or confirmation that a licence is not required as the Authority cannot provide these. To find out more about host obligations, please visit the Authority's website.