Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2025-07-17-kassiou-construction-penalty-media-release
At a glance
- Respondent
- Kassiou Constructions Pty Ltd
- Penalty
- $44,000
- Employees affected
- 1
What happened
Kassiou Constructions Pty Ltd, a residential building and construction company based in Winnellie, Darwin, and its director, Ilias Kassiou, have been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This followed a Fair Work Inspector issuing a Compliance Notice in September 2023. The notice related to the company's failure to calculate and back-pay accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements to a full-time skilled labourer employed between 2012 and 2021. The company is now in liquidation.
What was decided
The Court imposed a $37,560 penalty on Kassiou Constructions Pty Ltd and a $6,573 penalty on Ilias Kassiou for failing to comply with the Compliance Notice. The company was also previously ordered to calculate and back-pay the worker’s entitlements, plus interest. Judge Anastasis Liveris stated the worker was left without payments for more than four years after his employment ended. The penalties are intended to deter future non-compliance.
What it means for employers
Employers must act on Compliance Notices issued by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Failure to do so can result in substantial penalties in addition to being ordered to back-pay workers. The Fair Work Ombudsman prioritises compliance in the building and construction industry.
What it means for employees
Employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice and assistance. Resources and information are available on the Fair Work Ombudsman's website and via the Infoline.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2025-media-releases/july-2025/20250717-kassiou-construction-penalty-media-releaseWant more cases like this?
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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 →