Wage Theft Crackdown: The Cost of Underpaying Your Staff

Wednesday, 6 August 2025, 8.30AM-9.30AM, Parramatta CBD

New event



Date: Wednesday, 6 August 2025
Time: 8.30AM-9.30AM (8.15AM arrival)
Venue: Level 3, 100 George Street, Parramatta NSW 2150

From 1 January 2025, intentional wage theft is a federal criminal offence under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023. With penalties exceeding $8.25 million – and potential prison time for individuals – this marks a seismic shift in how underpayments are treated and prosecuted in Australia.

In this timely 1-hour session, Employment and WHS lawyer Antonino Meduri will unpack the new offence and explore broader compliance risks facing HR teams in 2025 – including common underpayment pitfalls and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s enforcement priorities.

You’ll gain clarity on:

• What constitutes wage theft under the new laws
• The risks and penalties for individuals and companies
• The Fair Work Ombudsman’s compliance and enforcement policy
• Common risk areas in contracts, classification, and hours of work
• Key actions for HR, legal, and operational teams

The session will also include a live Q&A where attendees can ask Antonino any employment law-related questions, making this an essential conversation for anyone responsible for people, pay, and compliance in 2025.

New event



Date: Wednesday, 6 August 2025
Time: 8.30AM-9.30AM (8.15AM arrival)
Venue: Level 3, 100 George Street, Parramatta NSW 2150

From 1 January 2025, intentional wage theft is a federal criminal offence under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023. With penalties exceeding $8.25 million – and potential prison time for individuals – this marks a seismic shift in how underpayments are treated and prosecuted in Australia.

In this timely 1-hour session, Employment and WHS lawyer Antonino Meduri will unpack the new offence and explore broader compliance risks facing HR teams in 2025 – including common underpayment pitfalls and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s enforcement priorities.

You’ll gain clarity on:

• What constitutes wage theft under the new laws
• The risks and penalties for individuals and companies
• The Fair Work Ombudsman’s compliance and enforcement policy
• Common risk areas in contracts, classification, and hours of work
• Key actions for HR, legal, and operational teams

The session will also include a live Q&A where attendees can ask Antonino any employment law-related questions, making this an essential conversation for anyone responsible for people, pay, and compliance in 2025.

About Antonino Meduri

Antonino Meduri is an Employment and Work Health & Safety lawyer with experience gained at some of the world’s leading law firms and at the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

He has acted for global employers across a wide range of industries, delivering advice throughout Australia and beyond. He also brings significant litigation experience, having supported barristers and judges in complex commercial and employment disputes.

Sarah Stone


Sarah is the Co-Founder of LinkABLE and a seasoned executive, respected thought leader, and experienced change strategist dedicated to shaping the future of work.

With a strong focus on business effectiveness and strategy, she has successfully led transformative programs across organisations ranging from start-ups to global enterprises of 55,000 employees.

Thomas Sphabmixay


Thomas Sphabmixay leads TMS Financial, a 33-year-old CPA Tax & Accounting practice, and for over six years has been a Board Advisor at Wize Mentoring.

Working with 100+ accounting and bookkeeping practices across Australia and the United States, he's helped firm owners build businesses that run without them through team structure, workflow systems, and capacity planning.

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