ACT Pay Money for Mistake Made - Legal Under Employment Law?

[C12e]

A mistake I made at work has apparently cost the business $500. The employer says I'll be paying. Intuition tells me this isn't 100% legal in Employment Law.

Am I going to have to pay?

 

[Rod]

Was the mistake wilful or deliberate or an 'accident', in the normal course of duties?

 

[C12e]

Was the mistake wilful or deliberate or an 'accident', in the normal course of duties?

An accident. Lapse of judgement on my part

 

[Rod]

The ball is their 'court'. They are not allowed to withhold pay without your agreement. The only other way for them to get their money is to sue you, and they need to prove their case. Unlikely they'd go to that trouble for $500. Possible, but unlikely.

 

[C12e]

So contact a lawyer if I see the deduction?

 

[Rod]

FWO first (not the FWC)

Then lawyer if they don't help... or if you don't care about your job, lawyer first.

 

[C12e]

Follow up: is consent a case by case basis or is it likely to be in the contract?

 

[Rod]

Not sure what you mean.