In 2013 the rules as to how casual loading in the Health and Human Services Award (HAHSA) is applied changed. Since that time there have been significant errors in relation to casual loading. Casual Loading has either been applied by compounding the casual rate causing an overpayment OR not applied at all causing an underpayment. Some workers are adversely affected.

Shift workers appear in general to have been overpaid, except in relation to their overtime, as casual loading appears not to have been applied to most overtime payments. Day workers are vastly unaffected except those who work overtime, generally via recall (on-call) work, where they have been underpaid.

The Agency has recently advised they will write to all workers that the issue applies to explain the issue. Casual Loading will be applied correctly at a date to be determined.

Workers who have been underpaid will have an audit and be paid correctly going back until 2011. Workers who have been overpaid will not be required to pay back any money, but they will notice a reduction in hourly rates when pay rates are corrected.

Workers who have been both over and underpaid will have an audit done to determine if they owe or are owed wages. If they owe money it will be not sought; if they are owed money this will be provided to them at a certain date to be determined plus their hourly rate will be corrected.

HACSU has negotiated a deal where nobody has to pay back money, but workers who have been underpaid will be receiving what they are owed in full.