Fair Work Australia is the former name of the Fair Work Commission. The Fair Work Commission is Australia’s national workplace relations tribunal. The Fair Work Commission is the independent body responsible for:

• setting wage rates;
• creating and changing modern awards;
• approving enterprise agreements; and
• resolving disputes

The National Employment Standards form part of a safety net that serves to provide fair, relevant and enforceable minimum terms and conditions of employment.

Modern Awards are legal documents that outline minimum pay rates and conditions of employment for employers and employees in a particular industry or occupation.

The Fair Work Commission is Australia’s national workplace relations tribunal. The Fair Work Commission is an independent body, responsible for:

• setting minimum wage rates;
• creating and changing modern awards;
• approving enterprise agreements; and
• resolving disputes including unfair dismissal claims.

The Fair Work Commission was established by the federal Labor government in 2009.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is an agency of the Australian Government that serves to provide advice and information in relation to the federal workplace relations system. The Fair Work Ombudsman has the power to enforce workplace laws. They may also seek penalties for breaches of workplace laws. The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman is currently held by Sandra Parker.

The Fair Work Commission is an independent body, responsible for:

• setting minimum wage rates;
• creating and changing modern awards;
• approving enterprise agreements; and
• resolving disputes including unfair dismissal claims.

This is distinct from the Fair Work Ombudsman, which is responsible for:

• investigates workplace complaints
• conducting audits to ensure compliance
• enforcing the Fair Work Act 2009.

The Fair Work Act 2009 is the legislation that regulates the federal workplace relations system. The Fair Work Act 2009 sets out the terms and conditions of employment and sets out the rights and responsibilities of employees, employers and employee organisations in relation to that employment.

The Fair Work Act 2009 was introduced to govern Australia's workplace relations system and legislate for the entitlements available to Australian workers. The legislation aims to provide a safety net of minimum entitlements and enable flexible working arrangements and fairness at work.

The Fair Work Act 2009 covers ‘national system’ employees and employees. Employment that is not covered under the national industrial relations system is regulated by the relevant state legislation. Whether an employer is a national system employer depends on the location of the employment relationship (state or territory) and, in some cases, the legal status and business of the employer. The Fair Work Act 2009 covers the rights and responsibilities of employees, employers and employees’ organisations in relation to employment.

All Australian employers are required to meet their obligations contained within the Fair Work Act 2009. The responsibilities are wide ranging and include, but are not limited, to:

• abiding by the minimum entitlements contained within the National Employment Standards and any applicable modern award;
• paying the appropriate wage;
• keeping appropriate records (as prescribed within the Fair Work Regulations); and
• not taking (or proposing to take) action against employees for prohibited reasons.