Blow for Aussie teenage workers hoping to get superannuation

Teenage workers have taken a hit as a top industry group rejected calls for workers under 18 to receive pensions.

The Council of Small Business Organizations Australia (COSBOA) refused to heed calls from Industry Super Australia (ISA) advocates who have argued that younger workers should be added to the super-payroll.

Those who are under the age of 18 are currently getting only super if they work more than 30 hours per week for the same employer.

According to figures from the ISA, this means that more than 90 percent of teen workers don’t get paid when they get up for their shifts.

COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat said the measure is simply not financially viable.

“It is expensive to hire people at this point in acute labor shortages, and adding super to a group of younger workers would only make it more expensive to hire people who are clearly at this point in their careers. are not motivated by super’, says Achterstraat. news.com.au.

The current pension guarantee by employers stands at 11 percent.

Mr Achterstraat said many small businesses were already paying their staff higher wages because of the shortages.

“Adding super will either make that person 11 percent more expensive to hire, or it would be taken out of their paycheck, meaning they get less take-home pay,” he said.

He said many of the employees in question were high school students trying to get their hands on a little pocket money.

According to a report of the ISA titled Super Start to Work, the change to super would affect 375,000 Australian workers under the age of 18.

“Extending the Super Guarantee would mean that the average U18 would benefit from a $2,600 increase in their Super Balance by the time they are 18 years old for the work they do,” the report said.

Teenagers are the only group of workers in Australia not receiving a super since the scheme was introduced in 1992.