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 a key milestone of the grant agreement specifies that the business will increase or retain 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 of the grant agreement specifies that the business will increase or retain the number of employees engaged by the business.
  • a significant subcontractor engaged by a supplier where the value of the subcontract is worth $1 million or more (exclusive of GST)
  • a supplier or business on any standing offer arrangements, state purchase contracts or a supplier panel or register.

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 became 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 four 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 supplier on a standing offer arrangement, state purchase contract or a supplier panel or register.
  • 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 will increase or retain the number of employees engaged by the business .

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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