Every Australian employer must pay super within 7 business days of each payday. The quarterly system ended 30 June 2026.
Since 1 July 2026, every Australian employer must pay superannuation guarantee contributions to their employees' super funds within 7 business days of each payday. This is payday super. It replaced the quarterly payment system, and it applies to every employer regardless of size. If your payroll processes have not been updated, every late pay cycle is accruing a Superannuation Guarantee Charge liability.
Payroll providers can update your systems to meet the timing rule. What they do not cover is whether your award classifications, employment contracts, and payroll settings are correctly aligned, which is what the Superannuation Guarantee Charge ultimately tests. Brookvale HR Solutions reviews all three.
Every employer is affected, regardless of size. The change applies to all employees entitled to the superannuation guarantee, including full-time, part-time, and eligible casual employees. In practice, payday super requires super contributions to be paid at the same frequency as wages. The quarterly system that previously allowed payments up to 28 days after the end of each quarter ended on 30 June 2026.
The ATO has published detailed guidance on the payday super changes. The Fair Work Ombudsman has also issued employer guidance on the new obligations.
Your payroll system must support per-pay-cycle super processing. If your current software only handles quarterly super submissions, it needs to be updated or replaced now, because the obligation is already running. Employers who have not yet confirmed with their payroll provider that super is processed on time for every pay cycle need to do so immediately. If your provider cannot meet the timing rule, you will need to pay for an upgrade or switch systems without delay.
Cash flow planning changes significantly under payday super. Super contributions become an every-pay-cycle expense rather than a quarterly lump sum. For employers running fortnightly or weekly pay cycles, this means more frequent outflows that need to be built into your cash flow forecasts. Employers should review their payment of super processes and ensure their accounts can support the increased frequency.
The ATO closed the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) permanently at 11:59pm AEST on 30 June 2026 as part of the payday super reforms. New registrations had already closed on 1 October 2025. The service can no longer process payments, and transaction records can no longer be accessed.
If you relied on the SBSCH, you need a replacement channel before your next pay run: an integrated payroll clearing house, a commercial clearing house, or a super-fund-provided employer portal. Every payday processed without a compliant payment channel adds to your Superannuation Guarantee Charge exposure, so if the switch has not happened yet, it is the most urgent item on this page.
If you did not download your SBSCH transaction history before the closure, those records are no longer retrievable through the service. Keep your bank statements and payroll records as evidence of past contributions for any future audit or employee query.
For new employees, super fund nomination and processing must happen within 20 business days of the first payday. This means your onboarding process needs to capture new super fund details and process the first contribution faster than many employers currently manage. Employers must pay superannuation for each new employee from their next regular payday, not at the end of the quarter.
Use this checklist to assess whether your business is meeting its super obligations under payday super. If you cannot tick all six items, you need to act now.
If you cannot tick all six, book a free 30-minute compliance call, no commitment, no sales pitch.
Employers who fail to pay super on time face the Superannuation Guarantee Charge. Under the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Act 2025, the SGC for each qualifying earnings day is made up of the individual SG shortfall for that pay cycle, a notional earnings component that accrues daily using the general interest charge rate, and an administrative uplift of up to 60% of the shortfall plus notional earnings. The administrative uplift can be reduced, including to nil, where the employer lodges a voluntary disclosure before the ATO makes an assessment. Unlike the pre-reform SGC, the core charge is tax deductible from 1 July 2026 (general interest charge and late payment penalties remain non-deductible).
Individual directors can also become personally liable under a director penalty notice if super goes unpaid. Once a DPN is issued, the debt becomes the director's own, and options to avoid personal liability are limited. For business owners who operate through a company structure, payday super directly increases the risk of personal exposure because every missed pay cycle can crystallise new debt. The compounding effect across multiple employees and multiple pay cycles is substantial.
Daniel conducts payroll compliance reviews that cover super obligations, award compliance, and employment contract alignment. The review identifies whether your current processes meet the payday super requirements and recommends specific changes for employers where they do not. Learn more about Daniel's qualifications on the About page.
Payday super tests award classification, contract alignment, and payroll settings. The review needs all three. Two credentials underwrite the work:
Commercial context shapes every payroll review. Compliance is layered against the practical operating reality of running payroll across small and growing businesses, what gets caught, what slips, where the SGC exposure actually lands.
Investigative discipline applied to payroll review. Award classifications, contract terms, and payroll settings are tested in sequence, not assumed correct. The findings are documented to the same evidentiary standard every Brookvale HR Solutions review meets.
Daniel reviews payroll, awards, and contracts personally. The review identifies the gaps, the recommendations name them, sequence them, and quote them at fixed fee.
Read more about Daniel's qualifications and experience on the About page.
“We recently worked with Brookvale HR Solutions to conduct a full HR audit, implement a new HR and safety policy suite, and resolve a difficult employee performance issue. Dan made the whole process straightforward, gave very practical advice, and ensured we were compliant at every step.”
Common questions on commencement, the Superannuation Guarantee Charge, and the transition window.
A 15-point gap analysis covering payday super readiness alongside contracts, policies, and operational compliance. Fully credited toward follow-on work.
View the HR Compliance AuditDetailed examination of pay rates, classifications, and super entitlements to ensure employers are paying super contributions on time and at the correct rate.
View the Wage Compliance AuditNo lock-in contracts. Navigating payday super alongside other employment obligations is easier with a dedicated HR partner.
Compare retainer plansAll prices exclude GST.
Payday super is now in force. If your payroll processes are not compliant, penalties can accrue from the first missed payment, though the ATO's first-year approach gives room to employers who fix honest mistakes quickly. A free 30-minute compliance review with Daniel identifies exactly what needs to change.
