Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2022-10-13-launceston-food-precincts-report-media-release
At a glance
- Penalty
- $120,000
- Employees affected
- 144
What happened
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 31 businesses in and around Launceston, Tasmania, focusing on food precincts. The investigation found 24 businesses breached workplace laws, resulting in $121,574 in unpaid wages for 144 workers. Common breaches included failing to pay penalty rates, underpaying the minimum hourly rate, and not providing correct leave allowances. One business owed $39,432 to 26 casual and full-time employees. Visa holders and young workers were among those affected.
What was decided
The Fair Work Ombudsman recovered $121,574 in unpaid wages for 144 workers. 22 businesses received Compliance Notices, recovering $117,199 for 142 workers. Seven businesses received Infringement Notices, paying $9,988 in fines for pay slip and record-keeping breaches. Two businesses are subject to ongoing matters. The Fair Work Ombudsman highlighted that employers who violate wage laws will be found out and future breaches may lead to stricter enforcement.
What it means for employers
Employers in the food precinct sector must ensure they are complying with all wage laws, including paying penalty rates, minimum hourly rates, and correct leave allowances. The Fair Work Ombudsman is actively targeting non-compliant businesses, and those found in breach face financial penalties and enforcement action. Employers can utilise free resources and tools available on the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website to assist in meeting their obligations.
What it means for employees
Employees, particularly visa holders and young workers, should be aware of their workplace rights and seek help from the Fair Work Ombudsman if they suspect they are being underpaid or not receiving correct entitlements. The Assurance Protocol protects visa holders who seek assistance from the FWO without fear of visa cancellation.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2022-media-releases/october-2022/20221013-launceston-food-precincts-report-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 →