Introduction
Employers may make single and multi-enterprise agreements for their business. To understand which agreement applies to you, see Agreements on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Content
Single enterprise agreements
Most agreements are single enterprise agreements.
An employer may make a single enterprise agreement with its employees. An agreement covers employees when they:
- are employees at the time the agreement is made
- start work for the employer after the agreement is made.
Find out how to:
About related employers
In some cases, 2 or more employers may make a single enterprise agreement. They must be related employers, which means they are one of the following:
- a joint venture or common enterprise
- related body corporate entities
- employers that carry on similar business activities under the same franchise and are franchisees of the same franchisor and/or related bodies corporate of the same franchisor.
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Understanding enterprise agreements
Watch this short video to learn about enterprise agreements, how they are made, and our role in approving them.
Download our written summary Understanding enterprise agreements.
Multi-enterprise agreements
Two or more employers may make a multi-enterprise agreement. The agreement is only with the people who are:
- employees at the time the agreement is made AND
- employees who will be covered by the agreement.
Employers must follow the process to make a multi-enterprise agreement.
Representatives for a multi-enterprise agreement may apply for a supported bargaining authorisation. This is a special set of rules that help low-paid employees take part in bargaining.
Where employers have clearly identifiable common interests, representatives can apply for a single-interest employer authorisation.
Unless we have issued a supported bargaining authorisation or a single-interest employer authorisation, multi-enterprise agreements are co-operative workplace agreements.
Transitioning from a multi-enterprise agreement to a single enterprise agreement
From 27 February 2024, an employer may transition from a supported bargaining agreement or a single interest employer agreement that has not yet passed its nominal expiry date, to a single enterprise agreement.
Before requesting employees to vote on a single enterprise agreement, an employer must have:
- agreement in writing to the making of the request from all relevant employee organisations covered by the supported bargaining agreement or single interest employer agreement, or
- a voting request order.
A voting request order can be made by the Commission on application.
Find an enterprise agreement
Content
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