Fair Jobs Code for suppliers and businesses

Find out what the Fair Jobs Code is and what suppliers and businesses need to do to implement the code.

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What is the Fair Jobs Code?

The Victorian Fair Job Code enables the Victorian Government to use its purchasing power to:

  • promote secure employment and fair labour standards, and
  • ensure compliance with employment, workplace and industrial laws.

When entering high value contracts or grants, suppliers and businesses must demonstrate how they provide workplaces that are:

  • fair
  • safe
  • secure
  • cooperative
  • inclusive.

The code sets standards that suppliers and businesses contracting with Victorian Government must meet:

  • Standard 1: Comply with all applicable employment, industrial relations and workplace health and safety obligations.
  • Standard 2: Promote secure employment and job security.
  • Standard 3: Foster cooperative and constructive relationships between employers, employees and their representatives.
  • Standard 4: Foster workplace equity and diversity.
  • Standard 5: Promote supply chain compliance.

Suppliers and businesses are required to:

  • meet standard 1 to be able to receive a pre-assessment certificate
  • address standards 2 - 5 in their Fair Jobs Code plan (for high value procurement contracts and significant business expansion grants).

There is no charge to a supplier or business to apply, obtain or renew a pre-assessment certificate.

Read the Fair Jobs Code.

Read Fair Jobs Code fact sheet.

What does the code apply to?

The Fair Jobs Code applies to:

  • procurement (which includes state purchase contracts, panels and registers) of:
    • goods
    • works
    • services
  • business expansion grants over $500,000 (exclusive of GST), and where the key milestones under the grant agreement specifies that the business will direct the funding towards direct employment costs of the business and will, as a result of the funding increase the number of employees engaged by the business.

The Fair Jobs Code applies to:

  • a supplier of goods, services or works, including a provider of construction works, who is intending to bid for procurement contracts valued at $1 million or more (exclusive of GST).
  • a business intending to apply for a government grant if the Victorian Government component of the grant is worth $500,000 or more (exclusive of GST), and where a key milestone is to deliver new jobs.
  • a significant subcontractor engaged by a supplier where the value of the subcontract is worth $1 million or more (exclusive of GST).

When does the code apply from?

From 1 December 2022, all Victorian Government departments and agencies must apply the code to:

  • tender processes, and subsequent procurement contracts
  • grants, and subsequent grant agreements.

Revisions to the code will become operative on 1 September 2024.

Complying with the code

Depending on the value of the procurement or grant, suppliers and businesses may be required to:

  • hold a pre-assessment certificate
  • prepare a Fair Jobs Code plan.

Hold a pre-assessment certificate

If a supplier or business falls into one or more of the three categories described below, they should apply for a certificate:

  • a supplier of goods, services or works, including a provider of construction works, who is intending to bid for threshold procurement contracts.
  • a subcontractor, engaged by a supplier in relation to a threshold or high value procurement contract, where the value of the subcontract is worth $1 million or more.
  • a business intending to apply for a government grant:
    • if the Victorian Government component of the grant is worth $500,000 or more, and
    • if the terms of the grant specify that the recipient business must direct the funding provided in the grant towards direct employment costs of the business to increase the number of staff employed.

Some suppliers and businesses may also need to prepare a Fair Jobs Code plan.

Find out how to apply for a pre-assessment certificate.

Read the Fair Jobs Code pre-assessment certificate - guidelines for suppliers and businesses.

Prepare a Fair Jobs Code plan

Suppliers and businesses must prepare a Fair Jobs Code plan when:

  • tendering for procurements where the contract value is $20 million or more (exclusive of GST)
  • applying for significant business expansion grants with a value of $500,000 or more (exclusive of GST). The plan must be received within 12 months of receiving the grant.

Suppliers and businesses that need to prepare a Fair Jobs Code plan also must hold a pre-assessment certificate.

Find out how to prepare a Fair Jobs Code plan.

Read the Fair Jobs Code plan - guidelines for suppliers and businesses.

Complaints under Fair Jobs Code

Certain people may submit a complaint about a supplier or business who does not comply with the Fair Jobs Code.

Visit How to make a complaint about a supplier or business for:

  • who can submit a complaint
  • how to submit a complaint
  • how a complaint is handled.

General complaints about an action or service provided by the Fair Jobs Code Unit can be made to the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions – Complaints form.

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