The 15-minute payroll leak check every quarter

The payroll engine in most venues runs on rules set up once when the venue opened. Award rates change every July. Public holidays change every year. Junior rate brackets change as staff age. None of this is automated unless you actively maintain it.

The three quarterly checks

1. Public holiday loading on any holidays in the period — confirm it’s the current FWC rate, not last year’s.
2. Junior staff birthdays — staff who’ve aged into a new bracket need their base rate adjusted from the day after.
3. Saturday/Sunday loading — check against the current Restaurant Industry Award rates, not the previous year’s.

What this catches

The cumulative underpayment risk on a 25-person venue over a year is $5K–$25K. The quarterly check costs you 15 minutes.