The University of New South Wales has been ordered to repay more than $32.7 million after underpaying over 33,000 current and former employees.
The underpayments occurred between 2014 and 2023, affecting both academic and non-academic staff.
Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman found the university failed to pay the correct rates for teaching duties, exam supervision, and other work.
The issue first came to light after a complaint from a casual academic, with the university later self-reporting the wage errors in 2020.
The repayment package includes unpaid wages, superannuation, and interest owed to affected workers.
UNSW has apologised to staff, saying it is committed to fully correcting the mistakes and improving its payroll systems.
The case adds to a growing list of Australian universities facing action over widespread staff underpayments.
