Employee record-keeping in aged care isn't just an administrative task—it's a regulatory requirement that directly affects your quality accreditation and legal compliance. Between Fair Work obligations and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission standards, providers must maintain detailed, accurate records for every staff member. Getting this right protects both your organisation and your employees, while failure to maintain proper records can result in penalties, failed audits, and difficulty defending underpayment claims. Modern HR software can help automate much of this record-keeping, but you still need to understand what's required.
This guide covers the essential employee records aged care providers must maintain, how long to keep them, common compliance gaps, and how to build reliable record-keeping systems that satisfy both employment law and aged care quality standards.
Quick summary
- Aged care providers must keep comprehensive employment records for seven years
- Records include timesheets, qualifications, training, and award documentation
- Both Fair Work and Quality and Safety Commission have record-keeping requirements
- Poor record-keeping leads to compliance failures and underpayment liability
Essential employee records for aged care providers
Aged care providers operate under dual regulatory frameworks—Fair Work employment laws and Aged Care Quality Standards. Your record-keeping system must satisfy both:
Fair work record-keeping requirements
Under the Fair Work Act, you must keep records for all employees regardless of whether they're permanent, casual, or temporary:
- Personal details: Full name, date of birth, address, contact details, commencement date (captured during employee onboarding)
- Employment terms: Employment contract, type of employment, role/classification, pay rate
- Timesheets: Actual hours worked each day, start/finish times, breaks taken, overtime worked
- Pay records: Wages paid each period, superannuation contributions, tax withheld, allowances and loadings via award interpretation
- Leave entitlements: Annual leave, personal/carer's leave, long service leave accrued and taken
- Award classification: Which award applies, classification level, evidence of correct pay rates
Aged care specific requirements
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission requires additional documentation related to staff competency and suitability:
- Qualifications: Certificates, diplomas, nursing registrations relevant to aged care
- Training records: Mandatory training completion (manual handling, first aid, infection control), ongoing professional development
- Competency assessments: Evidence staff can perform their duties safely and effectively
- Police and screening checks: National police checks, working with vulnerable people checks, NDIS worker screening
- Incident reports: Any workplace incidents involving the employee or residents in their care
- Performance reviews: Regular performance assessments and improvement plans
These records demonstrate your organisation meets Standard 5 (Organisation's service environment) and Standard 7 (Human resources) of the Aged Care Quality Standards. Learn more about aged care workforce management.
How long to keep employee records
Record retention requirements vary by document type. Getting this wrong means either keeping unnecessary records (wasting storage) or destroying records too early (creating compliance risk):
| Record type | Retention period | Regulatory basis |
|---|---|---|
| Employment contracts | 7 years after termination | Fair Work Act |
| Timesheets and rosters | 7 years | Fair Work Act |
| Pay records | 7 years | Fair Work Act |
| Leave records | 7 years after termination | Fair Work Act |
| Training and qualifications | Duration of employment + 7 years | Quality Standards |
| Police and screening checks | 3 years after employment ends | Quality Standards |
| Performance reviews | 7 years after termination | Best practice / litigation risk |
| Incident reports | 7 years minimum | Quality Standards / WHS |
Common record-keeping compliance failures
Aged care audits and Fair Work investigations regularly uncover the same record-keeping problems:
Incomplete timesheets
Missing start/finish times, no break recording, handwritten sheets with unclear entries. Without complete timesheets, you cannot prove correct payment.
Missing training records
Unable to produce evidence of mandatory training completion during audits. This directly affects compliance with Quality Standard 7.
Expired screening checks
Police checks and working with vulnerable people clearances that have expired. Providers must track renewal dates and maintain current checks.
No award classification documentation
Cannot demonstrate which award classification was applied or why. This makes defending underpayment allegations extremely difficult.
Insecure storage
Employee records containing personal information stored without proper access controls, breaching Privacy Act obligations.
Inconsistent documentation for casuals
Assuming casual employees need less documentation. Casuals require the same comprehensive record-keeping as permanent staff.
Building compliant record-keeping systems
Moving from ad-hoc record-keeping to systematic compliance requires clear processes and usually digital tools:
Implement digital time tracking
Move from paper timesheets to digital time and attendance systems. Staff clock in/out via app or tablet, creating automatic, auditable records with accurate timestamps and break tracking.
Centralize employee documentation
Use HR management software to store all employee records in one secure location. Each staff member has a digital file containing contracts, qualifications, training certificates, performance reviews, and screening checks.
Set automated reminders
Configure alerts for expiring qualifications, screening checks due for renewal, mandatory training coming due, and performance review schedules. This prevents compliance gaps before audits identify them.
Maintain audit trails
Good systems log who accessed or modified records and when. This audit trail demonstrates your processes during regulatory reviews and protects against claims of record tampering.
Implement access controls
Restrict access to employee records based on role. Only authorized personnel should view sensitive information like pay rates, personal details, and performance documentation. This satisfies Privacy Act requirements.
Regular compliance reviews
Conduct internal audits quarterly to identify missing records, expired documents, or incomplete files. Fix issues proactively rather than during external audits. Effective rostering software often includes compliance reporting.
How HR technology simplifies record-keeping
Digital workforce management systems designed for aged care eliminate most manual record-keeping burden:
Centralized employee database
All employee information in one secure system accessible by authorized staff from anywhere.
Automatic timesheet generation
Time tracking creates compliant timesheets automatically, eliminating paper and transcription errors.
Qualification tracking
Store certificates and qualifications with automatic expiry alerts for renewals.
Training management
Track mandatory training completion, schedule refreshers, and generate compliance reports.
Document storage
Secure cloud storage with version control and audit trails for all employment documents.
Compliance reporting
Generate audit-ready reports showing complete records, training status, and screening compliance.
Preparing for compliance audits
Whether it's a Fair Work investigation or Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission review, auditors will request specific employee records. Being prepared demonstrates competent management:
- Respond promptly: Produce requested records within specified timeframes. Delays suggest disorganization or missing documentation.
- Provide complete records: When an auditor requests timesheet records for the last 12 months, provide all months. Gaps raise red flags.
- Demonstrate systems: Show your record-keeping processes, not just individual documents. Auditors assess whether you have reliable systems in place.
- Maintain consistency: Records across different systems (rostering, payroll, HR) should align. Inconsistencies suggest errors or poor controls.
- Show continuous compliance: Demonstrate that record-keeping is ongoing business practice, not something prepared for the audit.
Providers using integrated systems connecting rostering, time tracking, and payroll can generate audit reports quickly, demonstrating operational maturity.
Frequently asked questions
What employee records must aged care providers keep?
Aged care providers must maintain employee personal details, employment contracts, award classifications, timesheets, leave records, training and qualifications, performance reviews, incident reports, and any correspondence relating to employment conditions. Records must be kept for seven years after employment ends.
How long must aged care employee records be retained?
Most employment records must be kept for seven years under Fair Work Act requirements. Some specific documents like training records and working with children checks may have longer retention requirements under aged care quality standards.
What are the consequences of poor record-keeping in aged care?
Consequences include Fair Work penalties, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission sanctions, difficulty defending underpayment claims, failed quality audits, and inability to demonstrate compliance during regulatory reviews. Serious breaches can affect accreditation status.
Do casual aged care workers need the same record-keeping as permanent staff?
Yes, casual employees require the same comprehensive record-keeping as permanent staff. This includes timesheets, award classifications, leave records, qualifications, and all other employment documentation regardless of employment type.
How should aged care providers store employee records securely?
Records containing personal information must be stored securely with access restricted to authorized personnel only. Digital systems should use encryption and access controls. Physical documents require secure storage. Providers must comply with Privacy Act requirements for handling personal information.
What qualifications and training records are required for aged care staff?
Providers must maintain records of all mandatory qualifications (Certificate III/IV in Aged Care, nursing registrations), ongoing training (first aid, manual handling, infection control), competency assessments, and professional development. These records must be current and readily accessible during audits.
Can HR software help with aged care record-keeping compliance?
Yes, dedicated HR software designed for aged care can automate record-keeping, set reminders for qualification renewals, maintain audit trails, ensure secure storage, generate compliance reports, and make records readily accessible during regulatory reviews.
What happens if an employee record is missing during an audit?
Missing records during Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission audits can result in non-compliance findings, corrective action requirements, and in serious cases, sanctions affecting your approval status. Providers must demonstrate complete and accurate record-keeping systems.
Related RosterElf features
Workforce management software built for shift workers
RosterElf gives Australian businesses the tools to manage rosters, track time, and support your compliance efforts—all in one platform designed for shift-based teams.
- Centralized employee record management
- Automatic timesheet and compliance records
- Qualification and training tracking with alerts
Disclaimer: This article provides general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Record-keeping requirements are subject to change. Always verify current requirements using official Fair Work Ombudsman and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission resources before making decisions.
