The underpaid workers, who make A$90,000 annually, are mainly in the digital marketing and analytics divisions and were underpaid an average A$8,000 a year over a number of years. Qantas will pay these workers what it owes them and will include interest and a A$1,000 ex-gratia payment.
The 165 workers were overpaid about A$12,000 annually on average. The under- and over-payment errors were due to a misclassification of the workers. The overpaid workers will get to keep what they were paid.
"There was never an intention to underpay people, as shown by the fact that three-quarters of people affected by the error are financially better off," said Qantas group executive of people and culture Lesley Grant.