The Victorian WorkCover Authority (WorkSafe) wishes to make current and potential suppliers aware of the requirements under the Fair Jobs Code (FJC) that will take effect from 1 December 2022.

The FJC establishes five Standards that suppliers contracting with the Victorian Government must meet in relation to secure employment, labour standards and compliance with related laws.

The FJC will apply when:

• suppliers bid for procurements worth $3 million or more (ex GST)
• subcontractors deliver work worth $10 million or more (ex GST) on procurements of $20 million or more (ex GST)
• businesses apply for significant business expansion grants of $500,000 or more (ex GST)

All procurement activities released to market by WorkSafe from 1 December 2022 that meet the above thresholds are required to include mandatory requirements as follows:

• all responding suppliers must hold a valid Pre-Assessment Certificate
• For procurement contracts of $20 million or more, or significant business expansion grants of $500,000 or more (ex GST) where new jobs are a key deliverable, a Fair Jobs Code Plan is also required.

Application of the FJC is not retrospective.

Suppliers are strongly encouraged to seek pre-assessment certification prior to identifying a procurement opportunity they wish to respond to, as the certification process may take up to 30 business days and suppliers must already be certified at the time they submit a response. Certification will be valid for two years.

For more information, please see the Fair Jobs Code for suppliers and businesses pages on Buying for Victoria.