8 May 2026

The Fair Work Ombudsman has helped apprentices and trainees in the building and construction sector receive more than $750,000 in back-payments as part of the independent regulator’s efforts to help improve compliance for this important cohort of workers.

These back-payments include $415,943 recovered following FWO investigations, and $342,119 in underpayments rectified after dispute resolutions, in the 15 months to 31 March 2026.

The FWO undertakes compliance activities and offers a range of education tools and resources to support building and construction apprentices and trainees, who can be vulnerable, to get the pay and entitlements they are owed.

In the 15 months to 31 March 2026, the Fair Work Ombudsman completed 76 investigations into employers of building and construction apprentices and trainees where a determination could be made, and 68 per cent were found to be non-compliant with workplace laws. The regulator responded with 74 Compliance Notices, resulting in $336,951 of the $415,943 recovered for underpaid workers.

In 2025, the FWO:

• Provided free information and assistance in response to more than 7,500 enquiries from building and construction employees and employers;
• Received more than 380 anonymous reports from building and construction employees;
• Delivered free webinars for building and construction employers and employees, including a webinar for building and construction apprentices and trainees available on our YouTube channel.

Acting Fair Work Ombudsman Rachel Volzke said there was a clear need for the FWO to keep prioritising apprentices and trainees in the building and construction sector for education and support, with requests for assistance from workers in the sector over-represented in the FWO’s data.

“For apprentices and trainees - we’re here to help. To check you are getting all the pay and entitlements you should, or to raise concerns, seek our free advice and assistance,” Ms Volzke said.

“We have a ‘scaffolding of support’ for building and construction apprentices that includes our phone Infoline, website information, webinars, and our online tool that will take anonymous reports about wrongdoing if that is preferred.”

Ms Volzke noted that the FWO prioritises helping apprentices and trainees as they can be vulnerable to exploitation.

“Apprentices and trainees are typically young workers, early in their career. They may be unaware of their rights, depend heavily on their employer for education and training, or fear the loss of their job if they raise concerns. Female apprentices and trainees in the sector can be particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment, which has no place anywhere,” Ms Volzke said.

“The building and construction sector as a whole is also a priority for us as a regulator, given its history of non-compliance with workplace laws and employment of 35 per cent of the nation’s apprentices and trainees.”

Between 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2026, in litigations against employers of apprentices in the building and construction sector, the FWO secured more than $101,500 in penalties.

This included, earlier this year, the FWO securing $73,242 in court penalties against a Canberra electrical contracting business and its director for workplace law breaches impacting two workers, one a junior apprentice aged 18 at the time. The court also ordered the company to back-pay the workers, including interest and superannuation.

Across FWO’s investigations, the most common workplace law breaches by building and construction employers of apprentices and trainees were underpayments of hourly rates, overtime and annual leave entitlements; wages not paid for time worked; and failing to reimburse training costs.

The Fair Work Ombudsman also issued more than $8,000 in fines to building and construction employers for record-keeping and pay slip breaches between 1 January 2025 and 31 March 2026.

The FWO engages with other regulators, employer organisations and unions in the building and construction sector to encourage a culture of compliance. For example, following FWO court proceedings, the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority revoked a builder’s approval to employ apprentices.

“While employers of apprentices need to do better, and can expect to hear from us if we identify potential breaches of workplace laws, we want them to be getting it right in the first place,” Ms Volzke said.

“We offer employers in the sector a wide range of support with compliance, including free tools, resources and advisory services to help them pay their apprentices and trainees correctly and meet their record-keeping and payslip obligations.”

Dedicated resources for building and construction apprentices and their employers are on the FWO’s website: Apprentices under the Building and Construction Award

Employers and employees can visit www.fairwork.gov.au or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for free advice and assistance about their rights and obligations in the workplace. A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.

Workplace issues, including sexual harassment, can be reported online anonymously, including in languages other than English. Employees can also seek information from their union, if they are a member, or from their employer. Employers can seek information from their employer association if they are a member.

Follow the Fair Work Ombudsman @fairwork.gov.au or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fairwork.gov.au.