Employment Hero unveils HeroClear for superannuation compliance

Australian businesses are preparing for a forthcoming seven-day superannuation contribution deadline following the passage of the Payday Superannuation Bill through the House of Representatives.

Ahead of the new requirements, Employment Hero has announced a partnership with real-time payments provider Zepto and superannuation messaging provider OZEDI to deliver HeroClear, an embedded super clearing tool designed to aid businesses with compliance.

Compliance demands

HeroClear is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2026. The tool will be integrated within Employment Hero's payroll system and aims to automate and expedite superannuation payments. By using OZEDI's SuperStream connection to verify fund details before payment, and Zepto's direct access to the New Payments Platform (NPP) for instant payments, HeroClear intends to remove manual steps and provide employers with a verified audit trail.

Currently, bank transfers involved in superannuation contributions can take up to three business days. This lag often generates delays and errors, placing employers at risk of non-compliance with the incoming seven-day rule. Existing clearing houses and payment portals typically require additional reconciliation and administrative work, which the new solution aims to mitigate.

Industry impact

With the scheduled closure of the Australian Taxation Office's Small Business Superannuation Clearing House on 1 July 2026, hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses will need to transition to alternative systems. The Bill has also introduced the risk of significant penalties for late payments, including a 60% 'administrative uplift' for non-compliance, against which the new tool is positioned as a safeguard.

Employment Hero Chief Executive Officer Ben Thompson said the partnership would help small businesses reduce their risk at a time of significant regulatory change.

"Right now, the Bill expects SMBs to Payday Super right on day one, even while parts of the system that employers rely on are still being upgraded. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of SMBs will need to move off the ATO's Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH), set to close 1 July 2026. That's a big ask, especially when you consider the 60% increase in admin overheads and $124,000 cashflow impact the average SMB will face on day one," Thompson said.

Thompson added, "We continue to advocate for a short phase-in for SMBs and legislated obligations on other industry parties like funds and gateways, but we're also building the solutions to make compliance practical even before the 1 July deadline. We're proud to partner with like-minded innovators, Zepto and OZEDI, in our move to embed super clearing directly into Employment Hero Payroll. By validating fund details up-front, moving money in real-time, and providing live confirmations and a single audit trail, SMBs will see fewer errors, faster settlement and clear proof of action to meet new requirements. That means better outcomes for business and employees alike."

Payments sector contributions

Chris Jewell, President and Co-Founder at Zepto, said their partnership with Employment Hero would strengthen confidence among businesses navigating the new framework.

"Employment Hero is showing what's possible under the new Payday Super framework, taking a proactive, technology-first approach that gives Australian businesses confidence to meet these new expectations," said Chris Jewell, President and Co-Founder at Zepto.

Jewell continued, "At Zepto, we're passionate about enabling dynamic, data-rich payment flows that move beyond the limitations of traditional banking systems. After processing Australia's first real-time super payment with OZEDI in 2023, we're proud to extend that innovation through this partnership with Employment Hero. By embedding Zepto's real-time payment solutions within HeroClear, Employment Hero is leading the way for Australian businesses - unlocking automation, transparency and instant settlement that make compliance faster, simpler and more reliable."

David Field, Director at OZEDI, referred to the partnership as setting a new industry standard. "OZEDI has been in the business of handling large volumes of superannuation contribution data since 2013. The industry-wide process has remained largely unchanged for more than a decade but technology, such as the NPP and our new data and payee verification services creates a whole new experience for employers. The integration of OZEDI's services with Employment Hero's advanced technology and vision plus Zepto's NPP payment services has created a benchmark for the industry."