How employers can help make CONNECT work

Once you have registered with CONNECT a contribution return will be sent to you indicating the starting date for contributions.

You can make contributions online via EmployerAccess and CONNECT also accepts BPay. Or you can make contributions by cheque.

New applications, new employees

Once you receive a member application form from your employee(s), please attach it to the Employer Application Form. If you have already sent your Employer Application Form to AAS, simply attach the member applications to your next contribution return. You, as the employer, must complete details under the "New Member Listing" section on the contribution return: the applicant's name: date of birth, etc. If a new employee is already a member of CONNECT, please include the employee's membership number (taken from their CONNECT membership card) on the contribution return.

Filling in a contribution return

At the end of each month AAS sends you a contribution return. Please complete these steps, either online through EmployerAccess, or by completing a hard copy of the form and posting it back with your cheque for member contributions.

• Add new Members in section 1 of the form.
• Cross out the names of CONNECT Members who have ceased to be your employees during the month or are not working. If they have terminated employment, you need to provide the date they terminated in section 2 of the form.
• Complete the amount payable to every employee each month and forward it to the AAS by the 14th of the following month.
• Attach to the Return any new member applications and either make your payment via EmployerAccess or BPAY, or send a cheque (made payable to "CONNECT") for the total of the contributions.
• Even if you have no employees, or no employees at work in the month, you must complete the contribution return and submit it to AAS. In this case you would write NIL on the return.

How the payments are calculated

Since the introduction of the Superannuation Guarantee Administration Act, all employers now have a legal, as well as an Award, obligation to contribute to their employee's superannuation.

The Superannuation Guarantee (SG) sets minimum employer contribution levels. However, under the Electrical Contracting Industry Award, you were already required to make superannuation contributions to CONNECT for your employees. By making contributions to CONNECT on your employees' behalf, you meet both your Award's and SG obligations. Currently, to comply with the SG you need to be contributing 9% of each employee's earnings.

The SG is calculated on the gross ordinary time weekly salary and is simply your employees' earnings for ordinary hours of work (excluding overtime and any annual leave loading). It includes any over-award payments, shift and tool allowance, commission, sick leave, holiday pay and any other compulsory payments outlined under the award.

Payments are made monthly, with each month made up of either four or five weeks, based on the number of Fridays (e.g. December may consist of five weeks because there are five Fridays in the months whereas January may consist of four weeks as the month has four Fridays).

ATO Requirements

Employers who fail to provide the prescribed minimum level of support are liable for any SG shortfall, plus an interest component and an administrative charge imposed by the Australian Taxation Office. To avoid this charge, SG contributions must be made every three months, by the 28th of October, January, April and July.

What happens during paid leave?

The employer is required to continue contributions while a member (employee) is on paid leave such as public holidays, annual and long service leave, jury service and bereavement leave.

What happens during unpaid leave?

Employers are not required to make contributions in respect of any absence from work without pay.

What happens during sickness and work-related injury?

In the case of Members' (employees') absence from work due to sickness or work-related injury, the employer is required to continue contributions for the period of absence, provided:

• the member (employee) is receiving regular payments directly from the employer (as distinct from workers compensation) in accordance with statutory or award requirements (such as accident pay agreement or accumulated sick leave) or;
• the period of absence does not exceed four (4) consecutive weeks where the member (employee) receives payments from a workers compensation insurer and thus the employee's service period is interrupted.