Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2022-07-04-westbridge-penalty-media-release
At a glance
- Respondent
- Westbridge Constructions (VIC) Pty Ltd
- Penalty
- $33,000
- Employees affected
- 1
- Awards cited
- MA000047
What happened
Westbridge Constructions (VIC) Pty Ltd, based in Glenburn, Victoria, failed to comply with a Compliance Notice regarding a carpentry apprentice employed from August 2018 to February 2020. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after the worker requested assistance. The Compliance Notice related to alleged underpayment of minimum wages, overtime rates, and annual leave entitlements. The worker was 19 years old when he started working for the company.
What was decided
The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed a $14,320 penalty against Westbridge Constructions (VIC) Pty Ltd. The company must also pay the worker $18,858.78 in outstanding entitlements, plus interest and superannuation. Judge Catherine Symons found the worker was a vulnerable class and the amount owed was significant. The judge stated that complying with Compliance Notices avoids litigation.
What it means for employers
Employers must act on Compliance Notices issued by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Failure to do so can result in court-imposed penalties and back-payment of entitlements. Taking action to protect vulnerable workers is a priority for the FWO.
What it means for employees
Employees who believe they have been underpaid or are unsure about their entitlements should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice and assistance. The FWO provides interpreters and resources for small businesses.
Want this applied to your situation?
Reading the decision is free. FairWork Mate goes further — it reads the full case library and applies precedents like this one to your specific facts, citing the cases as it reasons. General information, not a guaranteed outcome or legal advice.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2022-media-releases/july-2022/20220704-westbridge-penalty-media-releaseSend your details to Liquid Employment Lawyers
Liquid Employment Lawyers is a paid legal service and our referral partner, not free Fair Work advice. Tell them what has happened and a member of their team will call you back. For free general guidance, use our tools or call the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94.
Prefer to read first? About Liquid Employment Lawyers · Not sure if you need a lawyer? Read the legal help guides
Want more cases like this?
FairWork Mate tracks Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission and Federal Court decisions across Australia. The AI advisor answers plain-English questions grounded on the full corpus — awards cited, industry, penalty amounts and affected employee counts — with a citation to the underlying decision on every answer.
Individual case summaries on this site are free. The full FWC and Federal Court library behind every advisor answer is on Pro.
FairWork Mate AI
This is one decision. Pro reads all of them.
Free case pages cite the top 250 decisions. Pro opens the full Fair Work Commission and Federal Court library, cross-references your own situation against it, and cites the decision behind every answer — plus document upload, so it can read your letter or contract line by line. 150 questions a month, cancel anytime.
Just need this week sorted? A 7-Day Pass is 50 questions over 7 days, no account. Get a 7-Day Pass — $14.99
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 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