Back-pay For Workers In Melbourne's South-se Suburbs

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20th November 2009, 11:00am - Views: 987





People Feature Fair Work Ombudsman 1 image

People Feature Fair Work Ombudsman 2 image


Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94 



Media Release




         20 Nov 2009


Back-pay for workers in Melbourne’s South and

South-Eastern suburbs 


Nine administration workers for a company at Noble Park have been reimbursed

almost $50,000 after an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman found they

were underpaid.


Inspectors discovered the employees had been inadvertently short-changed for

overtime and weekend penalty rates.


After discussions with Fair Work inspectors, the employer voluntarily back-paid

the staff a total of $48,250 – an average of $5360 each.


The case is one of  many complaints finalised recently on behalf of workers in

Melbourne’s South and South-Eastern suburbs.


Melbourne-based inspectors have discovered the underpayments through a

combination of routine audits and investigations into complaints from workers.


Significant underpayments were recovered in the retail, construction and

hospitality industries.


They include:



$16,000 for five workers at three franchise stores on the Mornington

Peninsula underpaid annual leave and sick leave entitlements,


$14,330 for a Mt Waverley receptionist underpaid the minimum hourly rate,

weekend penalty rates and annual leave entitlements,


$14,020 for 35 workers at a Parkdale retailer underpaid the minimum casual

hourly rate and weekend penalty rates,


$10,000 for a Port Melbourne retail worker underpaid the minimum hourly

rate,


$9680 for a young Narre Warren labourer underpaid the minimum hourly

rate and annual leave entitlements,


$8520 and $5115 for two workers at a Hastings food outlet underpaid the

minimum hourly rate and annual leave entitlements,


$8450 for a hospitality industry worker in Glen Waverley underpaid annual

leave and redundancy entitlements,


$8250 for a Highett trades assistant underpaid the minimum hourly rate,


$8080 for a food retailer in Mornington underpaid the minimum hourly rate,


$7480 for a Bentleigh East book-keeper underpaid pay in lieu of notice,

annual leave, superannuation, public holiday pay and two weeks wages,


$6920 for a clerk at a Dandenong business underpaid redundancy

entitlements,


$6000 for a Dandenong tradesperson underpaid annual leave entitlements,


$5530 for a Malvern restaurant cook underpaid the minimum hourly rate,


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People Feature Fair Work Ombudsman 3 image






Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94 


2



$5500 for a migrant production worker at a Clayton business underpaid the

minimum hourly rate and penalty rates,


$5450 for a manager at a Carnegie business underpaid one weeks wages and

annual leave entitlements,


$5130 for a Springvale apprentice underpaid the minimum hourly rate and

annual leave entitlements,


$5020 for a Dandenong production worker underpaid redundancy

entitlements,


$5000 for a young Cheltenham administration worker underpaid the

minimum hourly rate and penalty rates, and


$5000 for a St Kilda pub worker underpaid the minimum hourly rate and pay

in lieu of notice.


Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says most of the

underpayments were the result of a lack of understanding by employers of their

legal obligations, including applicable Awards and pay-scales.


“That’s why the Fair Work Ombudsman places such a strong focus on educating

employers and assisting them to understand and comply with workplace laws,” he

said.


Mr Campbell says in most cases, the Fair Work Ombudsman does not prosecute

employers for inadvertent breaches of workplace laws.


“However, employers need to be aware that they can face fines of up $33,000 per

breach if we do take matters to court,” he said.


Mr Campbell says employers or employees seeking up-to-date information on

wage rates and conditions should visit www.fwo.gov.au or contact the Fair Work

Infoline on 13 13 94. Translations are available by calling 13 14 50.


Eleven Best Practice Guides have been developed by the Fair Work Ombudsman

to assist employers make better use of the provisions of the Fair Work Act and

better understand other aspects of workplace laws.


The new guides are on the website and cover work and family, consultation and

co-operation, individual flexibility arrangements, employing young workers,

gender pay equity, small business, workplace privacy, managing

underperformance, effective dispute resolution and improving workplace

productivity in bargaining. 


The Fair Work Ombudsman promotes harmonious, productive and co-operative

workplaces. It also monitors compliance with and investigates breaches of

national workplace laws.


NOTE: We are unable to identify individual businesses or provide additional

information about the cases listed.


Media: Craig Bildstien, 0419 818 484. craig.bildstien@fwo.gov.au

Ryan Pedler, (03) 9954 2561, 0434 365 924. ryan.pedler@fwo.gov.au










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