Key takeaways
- The Fair Work Ombudsman holds wages it recovered but could not deliver.
- If the employer became insolvent, AFSA and the Fair Entitlements Guarantee are the places to look.
- State unclaimed money registers also hold wages paid in by employers.
The four places unpaid money ends up
| Situation | Who holds the money |
|---|---|
| Fair Work recovered wages but cannot find you | Fair Work Ombudsman unclaimed wages |
| Employer went into liquidation or bankruptcy | AFSA, plus the Fair Entitlements Guarantee for eligible entitlements |
| Employer paid the money to the state after failing to reach you | State unclaimed money register |
| Superannuation was never paid or the fund lost you | The ATO, through myGov |
Start with Fair Work
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigates underpayments and recovers money on employees' behalf. Where it cannot pass the money on, it holds it and publishes a searchable list. Searching is free and you do not need to have made the original complaint yourself.
- Search your surname and any previous surname.
- Consider jobs from more than a decade ago - there is no time limit on the held funds.
- Casual, hospitality and labour-hire roles are heavily represented.
If the employer collapsed
When a company is wound up, employee entitlements are handled through the insolvency process. The Fair Entitlements Guarantee can cover unpaid wages, annual leave, payment in lieu of notice and redundancy pay for eligible employees. Separately, AFSA holds unclaimed monies from bankruptcies and liquidations that could not be paid to the person entitled.
What to gather before you claim
- 1The employer's legal or trading name, and roughly when you worked there.
- 2Payslips, group certificates, income statements or bank records showing pay.
- 3Photo identification and evidence of any name change.
- 4Current bank details for payment.
Every one of these searches is free. No agency in Australia charges you to be given wages you already earned.
Ready to search?
Start with your state or territory - every register we link to is official and free to use.
Start your search