BHP has brought in Deloitte to help it address underpayment issues.

BHP, Australia's largest company, has enlisted professional services firm Deloitte to identify and compensate former employees, following the revelation of payroll errors that span over a decade.

The underpayment issue, involving erroneous deductions of annual leave, predominantly occurred when public holidays coincided with extended annual leave periods. 

BHP self-reported the discrepancies to the Fair Work Ombudsman in May 2023 after discovering the systemic payroll errors.

To facilitate the ongoing compensation process, Deloitte has developed a secure portal for identity verification and transaction processing. 

This platform is crucial for reaching former staff, including those from OZ Minerals, a company acquired by BHP last year. 

Affected individuals are urged to register for their entitlements through this portal to avoid missing out on compensation.

To date, BHP has resolved the leave discrepancies for over 19,000 current employees by reinstating the improperly deducted leave. 

Additionally, approximately 3,500 former workers have already received compensation, inclusive of interest, with plans underway to process further payments.

“We have already processed payments, with interest, to around 3,500 of those [former] employees, with more payments ready to be made in the coming weeks,” a BHP spokesperson said. 

The Fair Work Ombudsman is running an investigation into the matter, and has advised any concerned workers to make direct contact.