Employer contributions

How does super stapling work?

If you have a super account, the ATO will automatically staple it to you. This ensures you’re linked to a single super account that follows you when you change jobs. If you have multiple accounts, the ATO will decide which account to staple by considering things like:

• the balances of your accounts
• whether an account was previously stapled
• how recently contributions were made
• how recently the accounts were created.

Remember, you can take your UniSuper account with if you change jobs, no matter the industry your new job is in.

How could I have multiple super accounts?

If you started a job with a new employer before 1 November 2021 and didn’t nominate a super fund, they may have opened one for you with their default super fund.

When accounts are opened like this over time, fees charged on multiple funds can quickly eat into your total super balance. Super stapling was introduced to prevent this from happening.

Why aren’t my employer contributions going to my UniSuper account?

If you didn’t give your UniSuper account details to your employer, your contributions may be going to a stapled super account you didn’t know about. The ATO may have stapled this account to you after the initiative was introduced in November 2021.

How do I confirm my super’s going to my preferred account?

If you think your super guarantee is being paid incorrectly, consider asking your employer:

• which fund it’s being paid to
• how much has been paid
• the amount of each contribution.

If you don’t want to follow up with your employer directly, you can also report incorrectly paid super contributions to the ATO. They can then investigate the issue on your behalf.

My employer contributions are on my payslip. Why aren’t they in my super account?

Employers are only legally obligated to contribute to your super every three months.^ If you see an amount for super on your payslip, the payments may only be processed once a quarter as a lump sum. To confirm how often contributions are made, consider asking your employer.

If you haven’t received any contributions from your employer in over three months, it’s important to follow up with your employer. You can also report unpaid super contributions to the ATO.