Frequently asked questions

If SMSF bank details on the SAFF are not unique, an error will be triggered when saving the contributions grid.

Prior to the upgrade of Employer Online, the SMSF bank details provided in the SAFF file were not validated. Some payroll systems pre-populated the SMSF’s bank details fields with GESB bank...

If you are currently paying SG for your employees, they can choose a super fund. All employees who are eligible for SG contributions can choose a super fund.

You can use Employer Online to:

• Manage your employee data
• Pay contributions through direct debit or direct credit
• View your contribution status and submission history
• Access GESB account details
• Access Gold State Super liability invoices
• Generate reports

1. Log in to Employer Online and navigate to the 'maintenance' section, and select 'fund search'.

2. On the 'fund search' page you can search for a fund by entering the fund's name, Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI), Superannuation Product Identifier Number (SPIN), Superannuation Fund Number...

If your organisation has authorised you to access Employer Online, you can log in using your employer number, user ID, password, and verification code, which you can find in your authenticator app.

You will need to verify your identity using multi-factor authentication (MFA) to log into your account. MFA helps protect...

Yes. GESB can accept employer contributions from all employers into a GESB Super account. West State Super, Gold State Super and Retirement Income Pension accounts can’t accept external contributions from non-government employers. These restrictions apply to Superannuation Guarantee (SG) and salary sacrifice contributions.

Process for non-government employer contributions

Members who work outside...

Choice of Super was introduced on 30 March 2012 to provide employees the freedom to choose their own super fund, and encourage them to take control of what may be their biggest source of retirement savings.

Choice of Super resulted from updates to the State Superannuation Act 2000. Most employees (with...

To register for Employer Online, please email payroll.general@gesb.com.au.

From 10 December 2020, Westpac no longer accepts direct debit payments for Choice of Super contributions. Westpac provides our online Clearing House service for employers.

What will change – and what does this mean for me?

Previously, if you were using our Clearing House to pay your employees’ choice contributions, you...

1. Log in to Employer Online and navigate to the 'contributions' section, and select 'discrepancy reports'.

2. Discrepancy reports let you know that the contribution we received from you in the previous fortnight doesn't match the current contribution amount due.

Select...

Stapling was introduced for most Australian employers in 2021 as part of the government's Your Future, Your Super reform package.

However, WA public sector employers have been exempted from stapling. This is because GESB is the default fund for most of the WA public sector, and we work differently due to...

1. Log in to Employer Online and navigate to the 'contributions' section, and select 'return advice'.

2. There are two types of Return Advice reports available for download on the 'Return Advice' page:

• Gold State Super report (look for the file...

It’s worth taking the time to avoid making mistakes with the allowances you pay your employees. If you do make a mistake, you will be in breach of your statutory obligations under the State Superannuation legislation and may be liable for claims made by your employees.

As an employer, you are obligated to pay Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions on behalf of all eligible employees. You need to:

• Identify all eligible employees
• Provide a Standard choice form within 28 days of their start date
• Start paying contributions into each employee’s...

Yes, as an employer you can make certain amendments to the choice form. Please make sure all amendments to the form are reviewed by the State Solicitors Office before any changes are made.

If you are unable to log in to Employer Online, you will need to contact our Payroll General team to request your MFA to be reset.

Once you have been notified that your MFA has been reset, simply log in to Employer Online and set up MFA again for your...

1. Log in to Employer Online and navigate to the 'invoices' section.

2. Gold State Super liability invoices show the contribution you, as an employer, are required to make to a Gold State Super member's account. Your contribution as an employer is three times the...

As a WA public sector employer, you need to pay SG contributions fortnightly in accordance with the State Superannuation Regulations 2001.

Yes, there are specific records you must keep to demonstrate you have offered your eligible employees Choice of Super. For details of these records, please see the ATO website. As a WA public sector employer, you also must keep these records, in accordance...

The first time you log in to Employer Online to reset your password, you will need to set up multi-factor authentication.

1. Go to the Employer Online log in page and enter your employer number, user ID and password
2. Open your authenticator app and choose the option that will allow you to...

Yes – we exclude direct investments in tobacco companies, controversial weapons and nuclear weapons (including shares and bonds). For further details, see our Responsible Investment Policy.

GESB will generally only consider excluding a particular company or industry where it is unlikely to impede the long-term risk and return characteristics of...

We believe effective stewardship can play a role in improving investee companies’ ESG practices as well as enhancing the long-term risk-adjusted returns of investments. Voting and engagement are important avenues to influence companies in which we invest.

Engagement seeks to have a positive influence on outcomes, rather than merely avoiding investments...

Investing in equities provides investors with ownership and, in most cases, voting rights. We request our external investment managers to vote on resolutions applicable to the securities they manage on our behalf, in line with our goals and responsibilities. Our investment managers engage with company management on a range...

Yes, our Sustainable Balanced investment plan has been available for GESB Super, West State Super and Retirement Income Allocated Pension members since 27 September 2023.

At GESB, we believe it’s important to consider and manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk across all investments. For this reason, we integrate ESG into...

Updating your password regularly can help make sure your account is kept secure and safer from unauthorised access.

When you change your password, we’ll check if your password is commonly used or if it has been compromised, so you know to choose a more secure option if necessary.

To access and log into Member Online, you can use:

• Google Chrome
• Safari
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox

We support the latest two versions of these browsers and recommend you enable automatic updates to your browser, so your version stays up-to-date.

We don’t encourage the use of Microsoft Internet Explorer. That browser is no longer supported by...

No you don’t. While you do need your member number to register for Member Online, you can choose to use your email address as your username. We’ll confirm your user name in the registration confirmation email. If you are already registered, you can update your username in the personal details...

If you’re already registered, you’ll need to use your member number as your username to log in for the first time. After that, if you’d rather use your email address instead of your member number to login to your Member Online account, you can update your username in the personal...

First, log in to Member Online and find your current account balance on your Member Online dashboard. If you have more than one account, click the link to ‘show details’ for that account and you can also see:

• The opening balance of your account for this financial year
• How much money has...

On your Member Online dashboard, you can see:

• Your current investment plan
• The investment return that plan has delivered over the current financial year to date as a percentage
• The mix of Growth assets and Defensive assets for your plan

You can also see the returns for your plan in more detail from the...