Fair Work Cracks Down on Dodgy Job Ads

The ‘Good’ in ‘the Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ in our FWO v Woolworths Group Limited Podcast from 17 October 2025.

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has issued a strong warning to employers: advertising jobs with illegal pay rates won’t just damage your reputation, it will hit your wallet.

Since new laws came into effect banning misleading job ads, the FWO has recovered more than $185,000 in fines from employers who posted roles offering unlawful wages. In the 2024–25 financial year alone, 318 Infringement Notices were issued, totalling $111,306 in penalties. That’s more than double the number of fines issued the previous year, when 156 notices cost employers nearly $74,000.

What’s the Law?

Advertised pay rates must meet the minimum standards set by industrial instruments such as awards or enterprise agreements. If no such instrument applies, the National Minimum Wage is the baseline. Employers who advertise below these rates are in breach—and the FWO is watching.

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth made it clear: “Stamping out job ads that offer dodgy pay rates prevents workers from being underpaid from the get-go and ensures a fair playing field for businesses that are doing the right thing.”

What Employers Need to Know

The message is simple: get your pay rates right from the start. The FWO has met with major job platforms to push for stronger safeguards against unlawful ads. Employers who fail to comply face fines, reputational damage, and potential legal action.

As Ms Booth put it, “Employers have the clear obligation to advertise only lawful pay rates, and those doing the wrong thing are being hit with fines.”

Employers warned over dodgy job ads after doubling of fines issued – Fair Work Ombudsman