Australian Catholic University Underpays Casual Staff $3.6 Million

Over 1,000 casual teaching staff were underpaid between 2016 and 2023.

A sign leading to the Pell Centre at the Australian Catholic University's Aquinas Campus in Ballarat, Australia, on Aug. 23, 2019. William West/AFP via Getty Images

Australian Catholic University (ACU) has admitted that it underpaid over 1,000 casual teaching staff $3.6 million (US$2.36 million) in the past seven years.

In an email to teaching staff on Jan. 17, ACU vice-chancellor and president Zlatko Skrbis stated that an audit had revealed “inaccuracies” in the way the university calculated entitlements for them, resulting in underpayments for some staff between 2016 and 2023.