| Agency Name: | Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman |
| Employees: | 1000+ |
| Chief1 Name: | Anna Booth |
| Chief1 Position: | Fair Work Ombudsman |
| Minister1 Name: | Murray Watt |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations |
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) (or formally, the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman), is an independent statutory agency of the Government of Australia that serves as the central point of contact for free advice and information on the Australian national workplace relations system. The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman also investigates workplace complaints and enforces compliance with national workplace laws.
The FWO, along with the Fair Work Commission (former Fair Work Australia), the national workplace relations tribunal, began operation on 1 July 2009 under the Fair Work Act 2009.
The agency head is the Fair Work Ombudsman, Anna Booth, who reports to the Hon. Murray Watt MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.
The agency is headed by the Fair Work Ombudsman who is appointed by the relevant Minister under the Fair Work Act 2009 for a term up to 5 years. There have been four statutory appointments to that office since the FWO's inception:
| Name | Years in office | Prior & subsequent roles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Wilson | 2009–2013 | Workplace Ombudsman (2007–2009)[1] Commissioner of the Fair Work Commission (2013–present)[2] | |
| Natalie James | 2013–2018 | Senior manager at the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (to 2013)[3] Partner, Deloitte (2018–22)[4] Chair of the Victorian Government Inquiry into the Victorian On-Demand Workforce (2018–20)[5] Secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (2022–present)[6] | |
| Sandra Parker | 2018–2023 | Deputy Secretary at the Department of Jobs and Small Business (2011–2018)[7] [8] | |
| Anna Booth | 2023–present | Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission (2012–2020)[9] |
The functions of the Fair Work Ombudsman are set out in section 682 of the Fair Work Act 2009. The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman achieves its functions by:[10]
The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman consists of the Fair Work Ombudsman, supporting staff and Fair Work Inspectors who are all focused on serving the needs of everyone covered by the Australian workplace system. The Fair Work Ombudsman have offices in all capital cities and 14 regional locations across Australia.[11]
The functions of the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman, as set out in the Fair Work Act 2009, include:
The Fair Work Ombudsman offers employers and employees free information and advice on pay, conditions, and workplace rights and obligations under the national workplace relations system.[12]
The FWO’s website offers a variety of information for employees and employers on Australian workplace laws, including:
The FWO’s website also has tools and resources such as:
The FWO publishes regular content through its subscription services and across its communication channels including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X to help inform the community about workplace rights and obligations. The FWO also publishes information on its compliance activities and enforcement outcomes through media releases.
The Fair Work Ombudsman conducts targeted campaigns and audits. Through targeted campaigns, the Ombudsman aims to inform employers in a specific industry of their obligations, and ensure that they understand and comply with Commonwealth workplace laws. Campaigns can be national, state-based or regional.
An audit is where Fair Work Inspectors check an employer's records to make sure they comply with Commonwealth workplace laws. Sometimes, FWO undertakes an audit or a series of audits in response to a complaint or information given by an industry association, a government minister, the media or another source.
Those in the national workplace relations system can ask FWO for help with a workplace problem. This usually relates to pay and other conditions of employment such as leave, notice and hours of work. In accordance with its Compliance and Enforcement Policy,[14] the FWO will make a decision about the best course of action to resolve the dispute. The FWO will consider the kinds of issues raised, its priority areas and its Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman will make a decision about the best course of action to resolve the complaint. FWO might decide:
If the FWO decides to commence an investigation, it will look at employment records and documents to find out the facts of a workplace complaint and to decide if relevant parties have complied with Commonwealth workplace laws.
The Fair Work Ombudsman can inquire into and investigate breaches of the Fair Work Act.[15] The FWO has a range of processes and enforcement options for contraventions which include: