A payslip shows what you earned in a pay period, what came out of it and what was paid into your super. Your employer has to give you one within 1 working day of payday, even if you are on leave, and it must show your gross and net pay, your rate and hours if you are paid by the hour, every deduction and your super.
What is a payslip?
A payslip is your employer's record of your pay for each pay period. It can be on paper or electronic, such as an email or an online portal, and an electronic payslip must carry the same information as a paper one. Even if you are paid in cash, your employer still has to give you a payslip.
What must be on a payslip in Australia?
The Fair Work Ombudsman lists what every payslip has to show.
| On your payslip | What it tells you | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Your name, your employer's name and your employer's ABN if it has one | Who is paying you | Yes |
| Pay period | The stretch of work this pay covers | Yes |
| Date of payment | The day the money was paid | Yes |
| Gross pay | Your pay before tax and deductions come out | Yes |
| Net pay | What is left after tax and deductions, the amount paid to you | Yes |
| Ordinary hourly rate, the hours worked at that rate and the total at that rate | How your pay was worked out, if you are paid by the hour | Yes, for hourly pay |
| Loadings, allowances, bonuses, incentive payments and penalty rates | Extra amounts on top of your ordinary rate, each shown where it can be separated out | Yes |
| Each deduction, with the name of the fund or account it went to | Money taken out of your gross pay and where it went | Yes |
| Super contributions for the pay period and the fund's name | The super paid, or to be paid, for this pay | Yes |
| Leave balances | How much annual leave, sick and carer's leave and long service leave you have | No, it is best practice |
Fair Work's list also includes the pay rate that applied on the last day of employment.
What is the difference between gross and net pay?
Gross pay is everything you earned in the pay period before anything comes out. Net pay is what is left after tax and any other deductions, and it is the amount you are paid.
Gross pay is built from your ordinary hours and rate plus anything paid on top, such as overtime, penalty rates, allowances or a loading. Our guides to time and a half and leave loading explain two of the most common extras.
Base salary is the figure to compare when you want to know whether your pay is fair for your role. You can see what people in your role and city are paid with the free AusCorp Vault salary check.
Why is tax taken out of your pay?
Your employer withholds income tax from each pay and sends it to the ATO. This is called pay as you go (PAYG) withholding. How much comes out depends on what you earn and on the tax file number (TFN) declaration you filled in when you started, which your employer uses to work out the amount.
The ATO says the first $18,200 an Australian resident earns is usually tax free, and you choose whether to claim this tax-free threshold on your TFN declaration. If you have a second job, the ATO says to choose the "no tax-free threshold" rate for the second payer, or you might have a tax bill when you lodge your return. Australian residents may also pay the Medicare levy, which the ATO says is generally 2% of taxable income. The ATO's Tax withheld calculator checks whether the right amount is coming out of your pay.
What deductions can come out of your pay?
A deduction is money your employer takes out of your pay before it reaches you. The Fair Work Ombudsman says an employer can only make one if you agree in writing and it is mainly for your benefit, if a law, a court order or a Fair Work Commission order allows it, if your award allows it, or if your registered agreement allows it and you agree.
Fair Work's examples include salary sacrifice, extra contributions to your super, health fund payments and union fees. Every deduction has to appear on your payslip with its amount and the name of the fund or account it went to.
How do you check your super on your payslip?
Your payslip has to show the super your employer paid, or intends to pay, for that pay period and the name of the fund it went to. Since 1 July 2026, under Payday Super, employers pay super with each payday and your fund must receive it within 7 business days. Fair Work says this stretches to 20 business days in certain cases, such as a new employee or an employer's first payment to a fund.
The minimum is 12% of your qualifying earnings. The ATO says these include your ordinary time earnings (what you earn for your ordinary hours, including certain allowances, bonuses and paid leave) and all commissions, and they don't include overtime. On $2,000 of qualifying earnings in a fortnight, that is at least $240 of super. Our guide to Payday Super shows how to check the money reached your fund.
Does your payslip have to show leave balances?
No. The Fair Work Ombudsman says showing annual leave, sick and carer's leave and long service leave balances on a payslip is best practice, and it isn't a requirement. Your employer does have to tell you your balances if you ask.
Paid family and domestic violence leave must never be named on a payslip, to reduce the risk to the safety of the person taking it.
What should you do if your payslip is wrong or missing?
Start by talking to your employer. The Fair Work Ombudsman suggests showing them its pay slips page, asking for a meeting if nothing changes, and giving them at least 7 days to hand over all your payslips before you take further steps. After that you can ask the Fair Work Ombudsman for help on 13 13 94.
Fair Work Inspectors can fine an employer who leaves required details off a payslip or doesn't issue one within 1 working day. Employers have to keep time and wages records for 7 years and must let you see your records if you ask, including after you have left.
Is a payslip the same as an income statement?
No. A payslip covers one pay period. Your income statement is the summary for the whole financial year of your salary and wages, the tax withheld and your super. Most employers report your pay to the ATO each payday through Single Touch Payroll, so you find the income statement in ATO online services through myGov instead of getting it from your employer.
Employers have until 14 July to finalise it. If yours still isn't marked "Tax ready" after 31 July, the ATO says to speak to your employer.
Is a payslip a legal requirement in Australia?
Yes. The Fair Work Act 2009 and the Fair Work Regulations 2009 require employers to give employees a payslip within 1 working day of payday, and Fair Work Inspectors can fine an employer who doesn't.
Can I use my payslip for my tax return?
Use your income statement once your employer has marked it "Tax ready" in ATO online services. The ATO warns against using figures before then, because your employer may finalise different amounts and you may have to amend your return.
Do casual employees get payslips?
Yes. Casuals get a payslip within 1 working day of payday like every other employee. A casual loading that can be separated out has to be shown, and a note that the hourly rate includes it is one way to do that.
What does YTD mean on a payslip?
YTD means year to date, the running total for the financial year so far. It isn't on Fair Work's list of what a payslip must show, so a payslip doesn't have to show it. Your income statement in myGov shows your year-to-date salary and wages, tax withheld and super.
This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Sources
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay slips (within 1 working day of pay day, even on leave, electronic or hard copy, what a pay slip must show, leave balances as best practice, family and domestic violence leave, infringement notices, Fair Work Act 2009 sections 536 and 539 and Fair Work Regulations 2009 regulations 3.45 to 3.48, content last updated 30 September 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Fair Work Ombudsman, I'm not getting pay slips (talking to your employer, at least 7 days, paid in cash, email or online portal, content last updated 16 June 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Deducting pay (when a deduction is allowed, salary sacrifice and super examples, health fund and union fees, content last updated 7 August 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Record-keeping (records kept for 7 years, employees can see their records after they leave, content last updated 28 August 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Tax and superannuation (Payday Super, 7 business days and 20 in certain circumstances, content last updated 6 July 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Payment summaries and income statements (PAYG withholding, income statements and payment summaries, content last updated 27 May 2025, read 30 October 2026)
- Australian Taxation Office, Tax for employees (TFN declaration, the $18,200 tax-free threshold, second jobs, the Medicare levy, Single Touch Payroll, last updated 27 June 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Australian Taxation Office, Tax withheld calculator (the ATO's own calculator, link checked 30 October 2026)
- Australian Taxation Office, Super guarantee (12% from 1 July 2025, paid for each payday from 1 July 2026, last updated 17 April 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Australian Taxation Office, Super from your employer (what qualifying earnings include, overtime left out, 7 business days, last updated 1 July 2026, read 30 October 2026)
- Australian Taxation Office, Access your income statement (year-to-date salary, tax and super, 14 July, Tax ready, 31 July, last updated 5 June 2026, read 30 October 2026)
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