Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2025-04-04-drew-and-schofer-litigation-media-release
At a glance
- Respondent
- Drew and Schofer Real Estate Pty Ltd
- Penalty
- $3,440
- Employees affected
- 1
What happened
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against Drew and Schofer Real Estate Pty Ltd, a Sydney real estate agency, and its sole director, the Respondent. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in December 2022 after believing the company underpaid an 18-year-old junior real estate worker employed from July to September 2022. The company allegedly failed to pay wages and accrued annual leave entitlements. The Compliance Notice required back-payment of entitlements, which the company and director allegedly failed to do.
What was decided
The Fair Work Ombudsman is seeking penalties against Drew and Schofer Real Estate Pty Ltd and the Respondent for failing to comply with the Compliance Notice. The company faces a potential penalty of up to $41,250, and the Respondent faces a potential penalty of up to $8,250. The Ombudsman also seeks an order requiring compliance with the notice, including payment of $3,440 in outstanding entitlements plus interest and superannuation. The case highlights the FWO’s focus on protecting young workers.
What it means for employers
Employers, particularly small businesses, must comply with Compliance Notices issued by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Failure to do so can result in significant penalties. Employers should ensure they understand their obligations regarding wages, annual leave, and superannuation, especially when employing young workers. The FWO offers free online courses to assist employers in understanding Compliance Notices.
What it means for employees
Young workers should be aware of their rights regarding wages and entitlements. If employees have concerns about their pay or entitlements, they should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice and assistance. Union members can also seek information from their union.
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/2025-media-releases/april-2025/20250404-drew-and-schofer-litigation-media-releaseWant 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. Full-corpus advisor access is a paid product — Business Solo from $99/mo, 50% off your first 3 months for the first 100 signups.
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 →