1. Build Your “Evidence Bundle”
You should keep a digital folder in your cloud storage (Google Drive/iCloud) that contains the following documents. If an auditor asks, you have the proof ready in seconds.
- The “Master Log” (Spreadsheet): Create a simple Google Sheet. Include:
- Date: Day you worked.
- Company Name: Where you worked.
- Start Time & End Time: Be precise.
- Running Fortnight Total: Create a formula that sums your hours for any 14-day period (Monday to Sunday).
- Payslips: Download every payslip as soon as you receive it. Even if you are paid “cash in hand,” ask for a written receipt or a screen-grab of the transfer.
- Rosters/Timesheets: Save screenshots of your weekly roster, text messages from your boss confirming shifts, or copies of paper timesheets you signed.
- Digital Footprints: If your employer uses an electronic “clock-in” system (like Deputy or Tanda), take a screenshot of your hours in the app every fortnight.
2. Understand the “Fortnight” Trap
The Department of Home Affairs defines a fortnight as any period of 14 days starting on a Monday.
Crucial Tip: Many students mistakenly track hours by “Calendar Month” or “Pay Cycle.” Do not do this. An auditor will look at any 14-day window. If your total exceeds 48 hours in any of these windows, you are in breach.
3. Evidence of “Unpaid” Work
Remember: Unpaid work counts. If you are doing a “trial,” “training,” or “work experience” that isn’t a mandatory, CRICOS-registered part of your course, it counts toward your 48-hour limit.
- Document it: Log these hours in your “Master Log” exactly as you would paid hours.
- Evidence: Save emails or texts regarding these shifts so you can show the Department that you were performing tasks as instructed by the business.
4. What to Do If Your Evidence is Missing
If you don’t have payslips (common with “cash-in-hand” jobs), you must reconstruct your history using indirect evidence:
- Google Maps Timeline: This is powerful proof of your physical location.
- Bank Statements: Highlight deposits from your employer or regular cash deposits around pay day.
- Chat Logs: Print out or save PDFs of WhatsApp/SMS conversations where shifts were arranged.
- Photos: A photo of you in your uniform or a photo of the staff roster on the wall.
