Fair Work Information Statement

The Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS) is a short document published by the Fair Work Ombudsman that every employer must give every new employee — before they start, or as soon as practicable afterwards. It summarises the National Employment Standards, awards and agreements, and where to get help, in plain language.

The statements, plural

The FWIS now has siblings, and each has its own trigger:

• Fair Work Information Statement — every new employee, once, at the start.
• Casual Employment Information Statement (CEIS) — every new casual at the start, and again at set points in their employment (the schedule differs for small businesses); it explains casual conversion rights.
• Fixed Term Contract Information Statement — every employee entering a fixed-term contract.

Delivery can be practical: in person, by post, by email, or a link to the current version — what matters is that each person actually receives it. Always use the latest edition from the Ombudsman's website, because the statements are updated as the law changes.

Why bother getting it right

Skipping the statement is a contravention with civil penalties attached — over a document that's free and takes a minute to send. Building it into onboarding (alongside the contract, super choice and tax declaration) makes compliance automatic and starts the relationship the way you mean to continue: with everyone informed.

Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 124–125B — statements published and updated by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Related terms

• Probation period
• Casual conversion
• National Minimum Wage