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Payday Super Employer Checklist

There is no penalty for implementing Payday Super processes ahead of 1 July 2026.

Employers should plan for full compliance from commencement.

Use this checklist to assess and prepare your business for Payday Super.

1. Payroll and Systems Readiness

☐ Confirm payroll software can:

  • Calculate SG on qualifying earnings each pay run

  • Support payday-aligned super payments

  • Apply the annual Maximum Contributions Base (MCB) per employee

  • Report SG amounts via Single Touch Payroll (STP) each pay cycle

☐ Confirm payroll calendars align with payment capability
☐ Identify how off-cycle payments (bonuses, corrections, terminations) will be handled

2. Payment and Banking Arrangements

☐ Confirm your clearing house or payment method can:

  • Process super payments every pay cycle

  • Meet the 7 business day receipt requirement

  • Handle higher payment frequency without batching delays

☐ Confirm banking cut-off times and settlement delays
☐ Identify contingency arrangements for rejected or failed payments

3. New Starter and Onboarding Processes

☐ Review onboarding workflows to ensure:

  • Super fund details are collected promptly

  • Stapled fund checks occur early

  • The 2-week new starter grace period is correctly applied

☐ Confirm escalation process if super details are missing or invalid

4. Data Quality and Exception Management

☐ Define internal processes for:

  • Managing rejected contributions

  • Correcting data errors quickly

  • Reissuing redirected payments within required timeframes

☐ Assign clear ownership for super exception handling
☐ Ensure reconciliation processes are in place for frequent payments

5. High Income Earners

☐ Confirm payroll systems can:

Track qualifying earnings across the financial year

  • Stop SG contributions once the annual MCB is reached

  • Apply the cap correctly on a per-employee basis

☐ Review impacted employee groups and remuneration structures

6. Cash Flow and Pay Cycle Impacts

☐ Assess impact of more frequent super payments on cash flow
☐ Review whether pay cycle changes are required (e.g. weekly to fortnightly)
☐ Engage finance teams early to plan funding and liquidity changes

7. Third-Party Providers

☐ Confirm readiness with:

  • Payroll provider

  • Accountant or outsourced payroll services

  • Clearing house provider

  • Banking partner

☐ Obtain timelines for system updates and testing windows

8. Internal Training and Governance

☐ Train payroll, HR and finance teams on:

  • New timing requirements

  • Error handling and escalation

  • Compliance and penalty implications

☐ Update internal policies, procedures and controls
☐ Confirm governance and sign-off arrangements

9. Employee Communication

☐ Identify whether changes to payroll timing or processes require staff communication
☐ Update onboarding and super-related materials if required
☐ Prepare messaging on:

  • Super being paid with pay cycles

  • Importance of keeping personal details up to date with both their payroll department and their super fund (noting that such information will not always be shared)

  • Taking care and understanding the potential impacts when making super changes such as rolling over or consolidating super accounts

10. Ongoing Monitoring

☐ Monitor updates from:

  • ATO

  • Treasury

  • Payroll and clearing house providers

  • Your super fund

☐ Schedule system testing ahead of 1 July 2026
☐ Plan a post-implementation review after go-live

Remember

There is no penalty for implementing Payday Super processes ahead of 1 July 2026.

Employers should plan for full compliance from commencement.

Page last updated 11 February 2026