ANZSCO feedback relating to payroll

The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) is a skilled-based classification register used to categorise all occupations and jobs in Australia including payroll.

The ANZSCO “groups” occupations and every four years, (between each census) a brief window opens up for consultation.

Payroll Clerks are listed as a skill level 4 occupation, which is second lowest skill level occupation in the ANZSCO.

Additionally, this low level and underrepresented classification causes the following problems for the profession.

• Allows it to be partitioned by other professions, including HR and accounting.
• Does not ensure it has a clear and recognised function with regard to Workforce Compliance, including policy and advocacy for new laws which payroll must administer, these range from superannuation to awards and currently “under draft” federal wage-theft legislation.
• Provides barriers for the profession to grow, in both the eyes of the state for policy development, to educational funding and assistance (no Australian University teaches payroll, or intends to), and the ability to grow and identify specialisations such as rostering/time and attendance.
• The main issue is one of a lack of recognition for the only group of experts responsible for the operational application of payroll, payroll taxation and superannuation for 1 million entities that employ 13 million workers.

Australian Payroll Association would like industry feedback as to the correct classification of payroll in order to provide a submission to ANZSCO. To do this we have designed a short, two question survey and would love to know your feedback as to how payroll should be classified.

To provide your feedback, please click here.