Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2025-05-12-harris-group-co-penalties-media-release
At a glance
- Respondent
- Harris Group
- Penalty
- $12,000
- Employees affected
- 1
- Awards cited
- MA000173
What happened
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Harris Group Co Pty Ltd, formerly known as ‘Harris Trucking’ in Traralgon, Victoria, following a request for assistance from a part-time delivery driver. The driver worked for the business between September 2021 and January 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in April 2022, believing the worker was underpaid overtime, Saturday penalty rates, and annual leave entitlements. The company's sole director, Matthew Harris, was also involved.
What was decided
The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed penalties of $9,990 against Harris Group Co Pty Ltd and $1,998 against Matthew Harris for failing to comply with the Compliance Notice. The court ordered the company to calculate and pay the worker outstanding amounts, including superannuation and interest. Judge Janine Young found the company's failure undermined the Fair Work Act and demonstrated a disregard for their obligations. The penalties are intended to deter future non-compliance.
What it means for employers
Employers must comply with Compliance Notices issued by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Failure to do so can result in significant penalties and the obligation to pay outstanding amounts to employees. Seeking assistance from the FWO and taking action to comply with notices is crucial.
What it means for employees
Employees experiencing concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free assistance. The FWO offers resources and courses to help employers understand Compliance Notices and their obligations.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2025-media-releases/may-2025/20250512-harris-group-co-penalties-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 →