s324: s 324 Make only permitted deductions
The employer deducts from wages only where the deduction is authorised in writing by the employee and principally for the employee's benefit, authorised under an enterprise agreement, authorised by or under an award or FWC order, or authorised by law or court order. A written authority specifies the amount (or, for ongoing deductions, whether fixed or varying), includes any prescribed information, may be withdrawn in writing at any time, and variations are authorised in writing; deductions of varying amounts for the employer's own benefit are allowed only in prescribed reasonable circumstances. Deductions or payments for employees under 18 need written parental agreement (s 326(4)).
Our statement of the clause of Australia Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), held and verified: cite it as s324. The instrument verbatim is not quoted here; the held framework carries the reading.
The evidence this duty asks you to hold
Signed deduction authorities specifying amounts, with withdrawal records; Payroll deduction codes mapped to their lawful authority; Parent or guardian consent for deductions from under-18 employees
What usually goes missing
Deductions for uniforms, breakages or till shortages without lawful authority; Blanket authorities in employment contracts; Withdrawn authorities not actioned
Where this lands in an audit
In Equal Pay Auditor this control informs the same-work screen, the category figures and the remediation steps, which carry their article citations on the result.