Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2022-06-17-callaghan-litigation-media-release
At a glance
- Penalty
- $6,660
- Employees affected
- 4
What happened
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Christine Louise Callaghan, who operated 'RC Express' in Taree, NSW. The investigation began after four workers, including an administration clerk and three delivery drivers, requested assistance. They were employed between February 2016 and June 2021. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in September 2021, believing the workers were underpaid entitlements under several awards and the National Employment Standards. The Compliance Notice required Ms. Callaghan to calculate and backpay outstanding entitlements, which she allegedly failed to do.
What was decided
The Fair Work Ombudsman is taking Ms. Callaghan to court for allegedly failing to comply with the Compliance Notice. The court may order penalties and rectification of the alleged underpayment, including superannuation and interest. A directions hearing is scheduled for July 2022. The Fair Work Ombudsman aims to enforce workplace laws and take legal action against businesses that fail to comply with Compliance Notices.
What it means for employers
Employers must comply with Compliance Notices issued by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Failure to do so can result in court action, penalties, and orders to rectify underpayments, plus superannuation and interest. Employers should review their payroll practices and ensure compliance with relevant awards and the National Employment Standards.
What it means for employees
Employees who believe they have been underpaid or are concerned about their entitlements should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice and assistance. Interpreter services are available.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2022-media-releases/june-2022/20220617-callaghan-litigation-media-releaseWant more cases like this?
FairWork Mate tracks Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission and Federal Court decisions across Australia. The full dataset, with structured fields for awards cited, industry, penalty amounts and affected employee counts, is available through the Business API. FairWork Mate AI answers plain-English questions grounded on the full corpus.
Individual case summaries on this site are free. API + AI access is a paid product. Contact us for pricing or a 50% off first month.
Get notified on new Fair Work cases
Free email alerts when we publish new underpayment decisions, penalty orders, and workplace law updates.
Free forever. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
This summary was drafted by AI from the published decision and reviewed before publishing. It is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, speak to the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified lawyer. About these summaries & corrections →