A legislative safety net scheme of last resort with assistance available for eligible employees.
What can I claim?
You may be able to claim:
- your unpaid wages—up to 13 weeks
- your unpaid annual leave and long service leave
- payment in lieu of notice—up to five weeks
- redundancy pay—up to four weeks per full year of service.
Note: unpaid Superannuation Guarantee Contributions cannot be claimed. You should pursue these through the Australian Taxation Office.
Am I an eligible employee?
You may be eligible for FEG assistance if you:
- have lodged an effective claim within 12 months (of either the date of the end of your employment or the date of the liquidation or bankruptcy of your former employer)
- have lost your job due to the insolvency of your employer or were terminated after, or within six months before, the appointment of an insolvency practitioner for your employer
- are owed at least one of the entitlements mentioned above
- were an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent visa or special category visa at the time your employment ended.
Textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) contract outworkers may be eligible - see TCF contract outworkers scheme fact sheet for more information.
You won't be eligible if, for example, you:
- were a contractor
- were an excluded employee (defined by the Corporations Act 2001)
- do not meet all of the conditions of eligibility set out in the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Act 2012.
How do I make a claim?
Applying online is the quickest way to receive your entitlements:
- Lodge a claim for assistance online at FEG Online Services.
- Make sure you read the full FEG fact sheets (including the Protecting your information fact sheet) before submitting your claim.
- You will need to provide specified evidence of your citizenship status for your claim to be effective.
- Remember that you only have 12 months to lodge your effective claim.
What if I can't make a claim online?
You can print and complete the FEG Claim Form and email or post it to us. Or you can call the FEG Hotline 1300 135 040 and we will post the claim form to you.
How is tax withheld from FEG payments?
If you are eligible for FEG assistance, the payment must be taxed in accordance with the notice of variation under section 15-15 of Schedule 1 to the Tax Administration Act 1953. The How is tax withheld under FEG fact sheet includes more information.
Want to know more?
Have a look at our service charter, frequently asked questions and fact sheets or contact us.
If you have difficulty speaking or understanding English, call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 for the cost of a local call on land lines. Ask TIS National to call the Fair Entitlements Guarantee on 1300 135 040.
If you are deaf, or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service (NRS) either through an internet relay call or one of their other services.
If you wish to nominate a person to act as the primary contact on your behalf please read the Role of an agent fact sheet.
