Fair Work Ombudsman decisions
The Fair Work Ombudsman is Australia's national workplace regulator. It investigates underpayments, prosecutes civil penalty cases in court, and accepts enforceable undertakings from employers in lieu of litigation.
What the FWO does
The FWO investigates underpayments and other Fair Work Act contraventions, accepts enforceable undertakings (employer commitments to repay, fix systems, and accept ongoing audit), and brings civil penalty cases through the FCFCOA and Federal Court.
Why these decisions matter
FWO enforceable undertakings are public records and a major signal of compliance risk. The list of employers under EUs is short — appearing on it is reputational damage in itself, on top of the back-pay obligations.
All FWO decisions in our corpus
← Back to the full corpusFair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has entered into an Enforceable Undertaking with The Luck Bird Pty Ltd, trading as Carlucci’s Restaurant in Templestowe, Melbourne. The restaurant underpaid 38 employees, including visa holders and junior workers, a total of $194,011 between June 2023 and July 2025. The underpayments included minimum hourly rates, penalty rates, overtime rates, annual leave loading, and casual loading. Employees received back payments ranging from $189 to $20,042. The restaurant has rectified the underpayments and implemented systems to prevent future breaches.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman and will rectify more than $11.7 million in underpayments, including interest and superannuation, to 5,500 staff. The not-for-profit aged care, home care and retirement living provider operates 27 retirement communities and 27 residential care homes in NSW and the ACT. Affected workers included home care employees, assistants in nursing, registered and enrolled nurses, facility managers, diversional therapists, cooks and handypersons across casual, full-time and part-time roles. The cause was issues with the time and attendance system combined with a manual payroll process inconsistent with enterprise agreement requirements, plus incorrect application of overtime, allowances and shift penalty clauses.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against The Ella Group (NSW) Pty Ltd, which operates Funtime Childcare in Greenacre, and its sole director, Louise Ramona Yaacoubian. They failed to comply with a Compliance Notice regarding underpayments to a young early childhood educator employed between April 2021 and May 2023. The worker was aged 20 to 22 during this period. A Fair Work Inspector issued the Compliance Notice in December 2023 after suspecting underpayment of minimum wages, overtime, and annual leave entitlements under the Children’s Services Award 2010 and the Fair Work Act’s National Employment Standards. This is the second time the company and director have been penalised for similar issues.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Hoppers Trailer Pty Ltd, a Melbourne-based trailer manufacturer, and its sole director, Gurpinder Singh, have been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This followed a failure to comply with a Compliance Notice issued by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The notice concerned unpaid entitlements to a welder, an Indian national on a temporary graduate visa, who was employed from June to October 2022. The company failed to pay accrued annual leave entitlements. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving a request for assistance from the worker.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Labour Hire Authority (LHA) and Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) held a forum in Healesville on March 17, 2026, with local growers, industry groups, and labour hire companies. This followed a compliance operation by the LHA and a 2025 report highlighting high non-compliance rates in the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula horticulture sector. Legal action has been initiated against a Yarra Valley orchard and an allegedly unlicensed labour hire company. The FWO has previously secured penalties against horticulture growers for underpayments, exceeding $166,000 against a celery producer and nearly $160,000 against a tomato and cucumber grower. The forum aimed to improve compliance and provide guidance to growers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Shinya Geelong HR Pty Ltd and Shinya Torquay HR Pty Ltd, former operators of ramen restaurants in Geelong and Torquay, Victoria, have been penalized for failing to comply with Compliance Notices. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from four workers, including three visa holders and one Australian citizen. The workers were employed as cooks and waitstaff between November 2020 and July 2023. The Compliance Notices related to underpayment of minimum wages, weekend rates, public holiday rates, and annual leave entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Uniting Communities Incorporated, a South Australian community services provider, will return over $2.6 million in underpayments to approximately 1,500 current and former employees. The underpayments occurred between November 2015 and December 2025. They resulted from misapplication of Enterprise Agreements, failure to apply wage increases, and payroll system deficiencies. The organisation self-reported the non-compliance to the Fair Work Ombudsman in May 2023. The affected employees held roles such as support workers, counsellors, and project officers, working across full-time, part-time, and casual positions.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Katsuyoshi ‘Ken’ Sadamatsu, a former part-owner and manager of the ‘Miso World Square’ Japanese restaurant in Sydney. It is alleged that between June 2020 and September 2022, Mr Sadamatsu was involved in knowingly underpaying 82 workers, primarily cooks, kitchen attendants, and wait staff, a total of over $162,000. The alleged underpayments included flat hourly rates of $19 to $27, failing to pay overtime, penalty rates, accrued annual leave, split-shift allowances, and breaches of record-keeping laws. Many of the affected workers were visa holders from Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan, with 36 being young workers aged 19 to 24. The restaurant closed in 2024 and the employer, Miso Pty Ltd, was deregistered.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Villa Romana restaurant in Cairns, owned by Mesa 3 Pty Ltd and Helen Papagelou (as trustees of the Ex-RPH Trust). An investigation, following a 2023 inspection, found the restaurant underpaid 76 employees, including those on working holiday and student visas, by a total of $86,873 between May and October 2023. Underpayments related to weekend penalty rates, overtime, split shift allowances, and base rates. The restaurant engaged kitchen and front-of-house staff.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against SNNB Enterprises Pty Ltd, Taylors Business Pty Ltd, and Yarraville Business Pty Ltd, which previously operated Cash Converters stores in Epping, Delahey, and Yarraville. The companies and their sole director, Graeme Grainger, failed to comply with Compliance Notices requiring them to calculate and back-pay entitlements to seven full-time workers. The workers were store managers, retail employees, and shop assistants. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the affected workers. The stores have now closed.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Canberra Electrical Solutions Pty Ltd and its director, Tayfun Yildirim, have been penalized for failing to comply with Fair Work Ombudsman Compliance Notices. The company employed two workers—an electrical labourer and an 18-year-old junior apprentice—from February to October 2023. The workers were underpaid minimum wages, annual leave, and overtime. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the affected workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Korserv Pty Ltd, a Queensland-based labour hire provider, and its manager, Janghwan Choi. This action follows an audit of pay rates at a strawberry farm in the Glass House Mountains in 2023. Korserv allegedly provided false records, including falsified payslips and piecework agreements with forged signatures, to Fair Work Inspectors in December 2023 and January 2024. It is alleged that Korserv subcontracted other companies to pay wages, and Mr Choi admitted to sending funds to these subcontractors. At least three of the 14 workers involved were migrant workers on visas.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Rapid Plumbing Group Pty Ltd, a Western Sydney plumbing company, and its sole director, Scott Mahboub. A young worker was employed as a plumber by Rapid Plumbing Group from July to October 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in February 2023, alleging the company failed to pay the worker industry allowances and accrued annual leave entitlements. The company allegedly failed to comply with the Compliance Notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured a penalty against the University of New South Wales (UNSW) for record-keeping failures. Between 2017 and 2022, UNSW failed to keep records for 63 casual academic employees, including hours worked, pay rates, and casual loading entitlements. They also failed to include casual loading information on pay slips. The Fair Work Ombudsman first raised concerns in 2018, and a formal underpayment investigation began in 2020 after UNSW self-reported widespread underpayments. The legal action focused on staff in the UNSW Business School at Kensington, Sydney.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and four of its officials—James Simpson, Paul Tzimas, James Harris, and Jaxson Mahy—have been penalised for unlawful conduct at construction sites in Melbourne. The incidents occurred at sites in Alphington and Croydon, where Ironside Construction Pty Ltd was the head contractor. The officials exercised their right-of-entry rights. Mr. Simpson turned off a generator without authorisation. Other breaches included failing to leave the construction zone, stopping work on an excavator, and accessing a computer screen without permission. The legal action was initially brought by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) before transferring to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Fajloun Motor Group Pty Ltd, which previously operated an Ultra Tune franchise in Yagoona, New South Wales, has been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. The company employed a worker in an automotive administration role on a casual basis from April 2022 to January 2023. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after the worker requested assistance. The company breached laws regarding pay slips and employment records and failed to comply with a Compliance Notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Bulmer Farms Pty Ltd, a vegetable farm in Lindenow, Victoria. The farm allegedly underpaid 28 migrant workers from Kiribati, Timor Leste, and the Solomon Islands a total of $645,567 between December 2019 and December 2023. The alleged underpayments stemmed from paying workers set weekly amounts based on annualised salaries, which did not cover their entitlements under the Horticulture Award. Workers held roles including farm workers, forklift and tractor operators, and were engaged under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. Bulmer Farms conducted an internal review and made payments of $42,189 to the workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The University of Tasmania signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after identifying more than $21.4 million in underpayments to over 10,000 staff across an 11-year period. Most of the affected staff were casual professional and academic staff. The most common breach was failing to pay casuals for a minimum engagement period of at least three hours per shift, as required under UTAS enterprise agreements. Underpaid employees worked across UTAS campuses in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie, Sydney and smaller satellites.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured penalties and back-pay orders against Vanna Taing, Brandon Bui, and Gary Lai, former operators and a human resources employee of a Gami Chicken & Beer franchise outlet ('Gami-Southland') in Cheltenham, Melbourne. The case involved breaches affecting 16 kitchen and wait staff, including two young workers (aged 17) and visa holders from Vietnam and Korea. The operators provided false pay slips to a Fair Work Inspector and failed to comply with a Compliance Notice requiring back-payment of wages. The Fair Work Ombudsman began investigating in 2019 and again in 2021 after receiving worker requests for assistance.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Monash University signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after identifying more than $20.7 million in underpayments, including interest and superannuation, to 10,877 staff over an 11-year period. Underpayments affected staff across all 10 Monash faculties. Most affected employees were casual academic sessional staff, with a smaller group of casual research assistants. Monash failed to pay correct rates for original and repeat tutorials, did not meet minimum engagement obligations, and underpaid rates for original lectures and tutorials under multiple enterprise agreements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has paid over $1.9 million to 433 staff members who were underpaid. The underpayments occurred at campuses in Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, across five faculties. Affected employees included administration officers, research assistants, and IT event staff, with most being full-time or part-time workers. The university identified the underpayments in 2019 and self-reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman in 2021. The underpayments related to overtime, meal allowances, casual loading, and minimum engagement payments, breaching enterprise agreements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Phillip Island Souvenirs Pty Ltd, operating 'U-Neek Souvenirs & Motorsport' in Cowes, Victoria, underpaid three retail assistants a total of $40,000 between October 2018 and December 2020. The company's sole director and owner, Bruce Wisbey, was also involved. The workers, including a Slovenian visa holder, were paid unlawfully low hourly rates. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against GCH Vic Park Pty Ltd, which previously operated 'The Globe Pan and Grill' in East Victoria Park, Perth, and its director, Jay Patel. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in August 2023 after suspecting the company underpaid 16 employees, who worked as cooks and food and beverage attendants, between December 2021 and July 2023. The alleged underpayments involved minimum wage rates, penalty rates for weekend work, and accrued annual leave entitlements. The company failed to comply with the Compliance Notice, and Mr Patel is alleged to have been involved.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Westpac Banking Corporation signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after back-paying nearly 47,000 staff more than $50 million. The underpayments stretched over 11 years and affected employees at Westpac, St.George and Bank of Melbourne. The FWO said the cause was failures in systems, governance and compliance oversight, inadequate record-keeping, reliance on manual adjustments and input errors. Breaches of multiple Westpac Group enterprise agreements included underpaid casual loading, minimum wages for ordinary hours, higher duties allowances, weekend penalties, termination payments and leave payments.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has issued warnings to employers advertising jobs with illegal pay rates. Since laws were introduced to prevent this, employers have paid over $185,000 in fines. In 2023-24, 156 infringement notices were issued, costing employers almost $74,000. In 2024-25, this increased to 318 infringement notices, totaling $111,306. Examples include a fast food outlet advertising kitchen hands at $17 per hour, a disability support employer advertising at $22 per hour, and a restaurant advertising a kitchen hand role at $12-$24 per hour. The FWO has met with job platforms to improve compliance.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against LROC Builders Pty Ltd and its director, Lachlan Robert Oliver, for failing to comply with Compliance Notices. Four carpenters were impacted, employed between December 2018 and April 2022. The businesses, based in Carrum Downs, Melbourne, allegedly underpaid minimum wages, overtime, allowances, leave, and public holiday pay. Three carpenters were employed by LROC Builders and one by Mr Oliver as a sole trader. The carpenters included a 22-year-old and an apprentice aged 24.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The University of Wollongong signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman and will complete more than $6.6 million in payments, including interest and superannuation, to 5,340 underpaid staff. Most affected employees were casual professional services staff in non-teaching roles, including administration officers, IT officers, librarians and researchers. Some full-time and part-time employees, academic and support staff, were also underpaid. The primary cause was the university's failure to pay casual professional staff the minimum three-hour engagement per shift required under its enterprise agreements, and underpayment of penalty rates.
Fair Work Ombudsman
McCrystal Agricultural Services Pty Ltd, a Queensland labour hire business and sweet potato farm, and its sole director Russell McCrystal, have been penalised for unlawfully deducting pay from migrant employees. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated the company, which operates under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. Between 2021 and 2022, the company fined workers under an alcohol policy, deducted health insurance premium payments exceeding the actual cost, and recovered overtime overpayments without employee approval. A total of 66 employees were affected, primarily from Vanuatu.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) and Australian Border Force (ABF) conducted surprise inspections of approximately 40 businesses in Sydney, including Blacktown, Cabramatta, Chatswood, the Hills District, Hurstville, and Parramatta. The inspections targeted businesses in the fast food, restaurants, cafés, hair and beauty, and health services sectors, many employing workers with Temporary Skills Shortage (subclass 482) visas. Inspectors checked time and wage records, recent job advertisements, and provided information on workplace laws, including the right to disconnect. The ABF also ensured visa holders were not exploited and worked in their nominated positions.
Fair Work Ombudsman
AAA Aussie Emergency Glass Pty Ltd, operating in Beenleigh, Queensland, and its director Michael Ronald Boehm, have been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This follows a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation into breaches of the Fair Work Act. The company, also known as ‘Aussie Printing Stickers & Signs’, ‘Beenleigh Glass’, and ‘Upper Class Tradesman’, failed to comply with Compliance Notices regarding underpayments to four workers. Three workers were glaziers and an office manager, employed for several years, while a fourth was a construction worker for two months. The company previously faced penalties in 2016 for unfair dismissal.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) conducted surprise visits to over 30 food sector and hospitality businesses in Darwin between August 26 and 28, 2025. This was part of Operation Sentinel, targeting suspected shadow economy activities. The investigations were prompted by community information and tip-offs. Businesses visited included fast food outlets, restaurants, and cafés.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Karl Haidenbauer and Mezzaco Trading Pty Ltd, former operators of the 'Six Ain’t Seven' café in North Parramatta. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in September 2023 after suspecting breaches of the Restaurant Industry Award regarding minimum wages paid to two casual employees between August 2022 and April 2023. One worker was on a working holiday visa from Vietnam, and the other was an 18-year-old international student from Nepal. The company is also accused of failing to provide a pay slip to one employee. The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges they did not comply with the Compliance Notice and breached the Fair Work Act.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against David Mark Blumentals, the former owner-operator of D365.Group Pty Ltd, an IT services company liquidated in 2023. The company provided services related to Microsoft software. The investigation began after requests for assistance from workers. It is alleged Mr Blumentals was involved in underpaying 16 IT consultants, based in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, a total of $149,240 between October 2021 and December 2022. Seven of the workers held visas. The alleged underpayments ranged from $4,581 to $23,749, and included unpaid annual leave and wages, and payment in lieu of notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
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.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Kosu Group Pty Ltd, which previously operated Yakiniku Kosu restaurant in Castle Hill, Sydney, and its sole director and part-owner, Sean Lee. They are accused of underpaying two Filipino workers a total of almost $100,000 between May 2019 and September 2020. The workers, a food and beverage attendant and a sous chef, were allegedly paid significantly less than their lawful entitlements, including minimum pay rates, overtime, penalty rates, and annual leave. Kosu Group is also accused of falsifying records to inspectors and breaching record-keeping and pay slip laws. The Yakiniku Kosu restaurant is now closed.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Guoyong “Jet” Liu, a visa holder, worked at Din Tai Fung in Sydney between July 2014 and May 2018. He and 16 other employees, primarily migrants from China and Indonesia, were deliberately underpaid. Jet felt pressured to accept low wages and experienced significant stress and reduced time with his family. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated and found a calculated scheme to underpay employees. The company, an associated company, and two company representatives faced penalties.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) conducted a three-year Horticulture Strategy (2021-2024) inspecting over 500 employers across 15 regional hotspots. Inspections targeted farms, orchards, and labour hire providers. The Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley in Victoria had the highest non-compliance rate (83%), followed by the Riverina in NSW (72%). Labour hire providers consistently had higher breach rates than direct growers. The FWO issued fines and recovered unpaid wages for 464 underpaid workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman is conducting inspections of 34 fast food outlets, restaurants, and cafés in Noosa Heads, Noosaville, and Tewantin, Sunshine Coast. The inspections began on June 18, 2025. They aim to check for underpayments and compliance with workplace laws. Businesses were selected based on prior non-compliance, reports, and vulnerability of workers, including visa holders. The Fair Work Ombudsman is partnering with the Department of Home Affairs to inform employers about migrant worker protections. This follows previous inspections in 2023 which recovered over $220,000 for 447 underpaid workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Griffith University signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman and will complete more than $8.34 million in payments, including interest and superannuation, to 5,457 underpaid staff. Affected employees worked across all four of Griffith's academic groups (Arts, Education and Law; Business; Health; Sciences) and all six of its Queensland campuses. They included full-time, part-time and casual academic, professional, support and fitness staff, and proctors. Griffith self-reported to the FWO in March 2022 after identifying underpayments under its enterprise agreements and two awards. The causes included insufficient training for course convenors and school administrators, weak onboarding data, and non-existent or insufficient payroll review processes.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Veens Group Pty Ltd, a housing construction company based in Harrington Park, Sydney, and its sole director, Dasi Shi. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in June 2023 after suspecting the company failed to pay a 29-year-old Chinese construction worker, who held a student visa, for eight days in October 2022. The worker was allegedly entitled to minimum casual wages under the Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2020. The company allegedly failed to comply with the Compliance Notice, and Mr Shi is alleged to have been involved.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured penalties and compensation after Mr Viet Quoc Mai and Ms Huong Le, operators of two 'Mr Viet' Vietnamese eateries in Adelaide, underpaid 36 migrant workers. The workers, mostly Vietnamese international students aged under 25, were employed between January 2018 and September 2021. They were paid as little as $15 an hour, significantly below minimum wage. The couple also made employees pay for bubble tea and other items, and deducted money from pay for alleged customer errors. Mr Mai attempted to deceive Fair Work inspectors by falsely claiming to back-pay workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Townsend House Inc, a South Australian charity providing allied health services, self-reported workplace non-compliance to the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) in April 2023. An investigation revealed that eighty employees were underpaid base and overtime rates between September 2017 and October 2022. The underpayments, totaling over $76,000, were attributed to misunderstandings about additional hours worked and payroll system errors. The charity is part of the Can:Do Group and operates in Hindmarsh and Noarlunga, Adelaide. Affected employees held roles including administrative, social services, health professionals, and interpreters.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against Hoppers Trailer Pty Ltd, a Melbourne trailer manufacturer, and its sole director, Gurpinder Singh. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in August 2023 after suspecting the company underpaid a welder employed from June to October 2022. The welder was an Indian national on a temporary graduate visa. The company allegedly failed to pay accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements. The company also allegedly failed to comply with the Compliance Notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Sabcha Pty Ltd, which operates 11 P’Nut Street Noodles restaurants in Sydney, Brisbane, and the Sunshine Coast, and one of its directors, Ankur Sehgal. It is alleged that 118 workers, primarily migrant workers from countries including Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, India and Indonesia, were underpaid a total of $976,463 between April 2019 and May 2021. Alleged individual underpayments ranged from $70 to $79,000. The underpayments involved minimum wage, penalty, overtime rates, split-shift allowances, and leave entitlements. Sabcha is also accused of providing false or misleading time-and-wages records and pay slips.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman is conducting surprise inspections of 20 fast food outlets, restaurants, and cafés in Newtown and Enmore, Sydney. The inspections began on March 26, 2025. Inspectors are interviewing managers and employees, checking records, and pay slips to ensure workers receive correct pay and entitlements. Businesses were selected based on prior non-compliance, reports, and vulnerability of workers, such as young people and visa holders. This is part of a national Food Precincts Program.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Well Health Medical Services Pty Ltd, which operates Well Health Medical Hub in Merrylands, Sydney, and its sole director, Irfan Khan. The action follows a request for assistance from a registered nurse who was employed full-time between October 2020 and September 2023. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in December 2023 after believing the company underpaid the worker's entitlements under the Nurses Award 2020 and National Employment Standards, including minimum wages, annual leave loading, accrued but untaken annual leave, and pay for 46 hours of work. The company failed to comply with the notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against IPS Holdings NSW Pty Ltd, a building and construction company based in Wollongong, and its sole director, Steven Sonnleitner. The investigation began after a worker, employed from September 2021 to September 2022, requested assistance. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in February 2023, concerning unpaid annual leave entitlements. The company allegedly failed to comply with this notice, and Mr Sonnleitner is alleged to have been involved.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against The Ella Group (NSW) Pty Ltd, which operates Funtime Childcare in Greenacre, NSW, and its sole director, Louise Ramona Yaacoubian. This follows a request for assistance from a young worker, aged 20 to 22, employed as an early childhood educator from April 2021 to May 2023. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in December 2023 regarding alleged underpayment of minimum wages, overtime, and annual leave entitlements under the Children’s Services Award 2010. The company allegedly failed to comply with the notice, and a pay slip contravention is also alleged. This is the second legal action against the company and director.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Relationships Australia Queensland (RAQ), a not-for-profit organisation providing support services across Queensland, has back-paid over 980 current and former employees more than $5.6 million. The underpayments occurred between December 2014 and April 2023. RAQ initially identified issues during enterprise agreement negotiations and subsequently self-reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman in April 2023. Employees were underpaid base rates, leave payments, shift penalties, overtime, allowances, and additional leave entitlements. The affected employees worked in various roles statewide, including counselling officers, administration staff, and managers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
KLM Foods Pty Ltd and Loveleen Gupta were penalized for underpaying four migrant workers at two United Petroleum-branded outlets in Sandy Bay and Kingston, Tasmania, between December 2020 and February 2021. The workers, including those from India and Bangladesh, were paid flat rates ranging from $16 to $23 per hour, resulting in underpayment of minimum wages, overtime, and penalty rates. One worker, aged 19-20, was a junior. KLM Foods also required one worker to make an unlawful $6,353 cashback payment and provided false pay slips and timesheets. Vizaan Pty Ltd, a company involved in the Kingston outlet, also played a role.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against Echuca Kebabs Pty Ltd and its sole director, Zekeriye Bilir. This followed a request for assistance from a worker employed between 2017 and 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in February 2023, alleging the company failed to pass on JobKeeper payments received in 2020 and 2021 and underpaid minimum wages and annual leave entitlements under the Fast Food Industry Award 2010. The company allegedly failed to comply with the Compliance Notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Hamilton Island Enterprises Limited and its subsidiary Hamilton Island Shared Services signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after back-paying staff more than $28.1 million. The FWO began investigating in 2020 following requests for assistance from staff. Most of the underpayments were caused by the companies paying many full-time employees annual salaries that were not high enough to cover their minimum Award entitlements, once overtime, shift-work and penalty-rate hours were included. The most common entitlements underpaid were overtime, weekend and public holiday penalties and broken-shift allowances.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Azmy Enterprises Pty Ltd, which operates Little Abbey's Academy in Hammondville, Sydney, and its sole director, Abanoub Azmy. The action follows a request for assistance from a former employee, an early childhood teacher who worked from July 2017 to September 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in June 2023, believing the worker was underpaid wages, annual leave, and an educational leader allowance, and accrued but untaken annual leave. The company allegedly failed to comply with the notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
R J Cornish & Co. Pty Ltd, a fruit grower in Cobram and Muckatah, Victoria, made unlawful wage deductions totaling $126,859 from the wages of 112 employees between July 2017 and June 2024. The deductions were for power ladder hire, fuel, and sprinkler damage. Inspectors found the company failed to pay employees in full. 39 of the affected employees held working holiday visas. Almost all back-payments of $123,249 have been made to 108 employees.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Sergey Stanislavovich Navasardyan, the former operator of Griffon Alpha Group Pty Ltd, a now deregistered security company in Perth. It is alleged that Mr. Navasardyan was involved in underpaying 44 security guards a total of $911,292 between December 2019 and May 2022. Many of the workers were visa holders from non-English speaking backgrounds. Griffon Alpha Group employed the workers on a casual basis at various venues and events. The company allegedly paid flat rates of $21 to $25 per hour, which did not cover entitlements under the Security Services Award 2010 and 2020.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured court orders against 10 Foster Street Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based wedding dress design and retail company. The company failed to comply with a Compliance Notice regarding unpaid entitlements to four workers employed between June 2015 and September 2021. Two of the workers were aged 23 to 25. The workers held roles including administration and marketing, pattern maker, draper, and design-and-sales assistant. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the affected workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Blue Sky Kids Land Pty Ltd, a children’s clothing retailer operating in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and its directors Guo Dong Gu and Fei Rong Yang, have been penalised for exploiting four Chinese migrant workers. The company, along with Q Fay Trading Pty Ltd (previously operated by Mr Gu and Ms Yang), underpaid the workers, with hourly rates as low as $10 between October 2015 and June 2018. The workers, aged in their 40s and with limited English, also received back-payments, superannuation, and interest. The company provided false records to inspectors and hindered Fair Work Inspectors. The investigation began following a request for assistance from one of the workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Lizzy Hair Design Pty Ltd, a hairdressing business based in Plumpton, New South Wales, and its former director, Sharon Xuereb, have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This followed a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation into breaches of pay slip laws and failure to comply with a Compliance Notice. The business employed a young apprentice hairdresser between May 2018 and June 2022. The apprentice was aged between 20 and 23 during this time. The company has now ceased trading.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured penalties and back-pay orders against ESR Group Pty Ltd, formerly operating 'Essential Motor Body Smash Repairs' in Seven Hills, and its manager, Paul Silvestro. The company failed to comply with three Compliance Notices requiring calculation and back-payment of entitlements to four employees, including panel beaters and a spray painter, employed between March 2020 and December 2021. The workers were also not provided with pay slips. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the affected workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
ABMENG Pty Ltd, an instrument calibration company based in Queensland with operations in Melbourne and Perth, and its sole director, Jay Parker, have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. The company failed to comply with a Notice to Produce records and a Compliance Notice related to three workers employed between March and July 2021. The workers held full-time customer service, sales, and engineering roles. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the affected workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The University of Sydney signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after identifying underpayments totalling more than $23 million to more than 14,000 staff, including superannuation and interest. The underpayments are part of a wider FWO focus on the university sector, where benchmark-based pay for casual academics has repeatedly fallen short of actual hours worked. The university acknowledged governance failures and breaches of its enterprise agreement obligations.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The University of Melbourne signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after identifying it had underpaid more than 25,000 staff a total of $72 million, including superannuation and interest. Most affected employees were casual academics. The university had been paying academics according to benchmarks, such as words-per-hour or time-per-student, rather than the actual hours worked. That meant some staff were not paid for all the time they actually spent on teaching, marking and preparation. The university self-identified the non-compliance and reported it to the regulator.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Louise Maree Melotte and her husband, Travis Francis Melotte, operated Hotel Frangos and Café Koukla in Daylesford, Victoria. They deliberately underpaid 97 staff a total of $321,202 between May 2017 and July 2019. The underpaid workers included 15 juniors, aged 15 to 20, and visa holders from Nepal, Pakistan, and Armenia. Two Nepalese cooks were also required to work unreasonable hours. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 51 fast food outlets, restaurants, and cafés in southern Brisbane. These inspections, part of a national Food Precincts Program, found 44 businesses (86%) breached workplace laws. A total of 365 employees were underpaid, with $447,339 recovered. One business owed almost $80,000 to 27 employees, including nine visa holders. The investigation also revealed breaches related to penalty rates, minimum wages, and record-keeping. The largest amount recovered from any one business was almost $80,000 for 27 restaurant employees.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Chatime Australia Pty Ltd, a franchisor of Chatime bubble tea stores, and its managing director, Chen 'Charlley' Zhao. Between August and December 2016, employees at 19 Chatime stores in Sydney and Melbourne were underpaid. Employees were paid flat rates ranging from $7.59 to $24.30 per hour, missing entitlements under the Fast Food Industry Award 2010. A total of 152 employees, including 41 junior workers and 95 visa holders, were underpaid a total of $162,533. The Fair Work Ombudsman discovered the underpayments during proactive audits.
Fair Work Ombudsman
P49 Collingwood Pty Ltd, which operated 'Project 49' in Collingwood, and its sole director, Rocco Esposito, have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after a worker requested assistance. The worker was employed full time from February 2021 to August 2022, performing barista, managerial, and supervisory duties. The company breached pay slip laws and failed to comply with a Compliance Notice regarding unpaid entitlements. Most entitlements were back-paid only after legal action commenced.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 36 fast food outlets, restaurants, and cafés in Adelaide's western suburbs. Inspections were based on intelligence from various sources, including anonymous reports. Investigations found 26 businesses, representing 79% of those inspected, had breached workplace laws. These breaches included failing to pay penalty rates, underpaying minimum wages, and record-keeping and pay slip breaches. A total of 370 employees were underpaid, with the largest amount recovered from one business being $65,986 for 10 employees.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and two officials, Andrew Blakeley and Dean Mattas, faced legal action from the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC), later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman. The case involved unlawful conduct at the Inner City South State Secondary College construction project in Dutton Park, Brisbane, in July and August 2020. Blakeley threatened employees to refuse work to pressure the head contractor to remove a project manager. Mattas directed employees of seven subcontractors to cease work, an action deemed unlawful as he wasn't a validly appointed Health and Safety Representative. The actions aimed to coerce the head contractor to remove the project manager.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced legal action against The Landhaus Estate Wines Pty Ltd and its managing director, John Jaunutis. This followed a request for assistance from a former sales representative who worked for the company from September 2020 to May 2022. An inspector issued a Compliance Notice in August 2023 regarding unpaid annual leave entitlements. The company allegedly failed to comply with this notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
First Step Finance Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based finance and mortgage-broking company, and its sole director and secretary, David Brian Ward, have been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This followed a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation into underpayment of three employees in management roles between August 2020 and February 2023. The company failed to back-pay the workers and knowingly issued false or misleading payslips. The workers were underpaid minimum wages for ordinary hours and accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured penalties against the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) and five former union officials for intimidating and threatening conduct at the Oaky Creek North coal mine in Queensland. This occurred during negotiations for a new enterprise agreement (EA) and involved verbal abuse, filming workers, derogatory social media posts, and signs naming workers as 'scabs'. The conduct took place in 2017 and 2018. The union officials held various leadership positions within the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU).
Fair Work Ombudsman
Om Shiva Foods Pty Ltd, trading as Wulagi Supermarket in Darwin, and its sole director Vinay Madasu, have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This followed a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation into underpayment and record-keeping breaches affecting a casual retail assistant, an Indian national on a temporary graduate visa, employed between February 2020 and August 2021. A Compliance Notice issued in October 2022 was not followed. The worker was underpaid minimum wages, penalty rates, and overtime rates.
Fair Work Ombudsman
A & G Lamattina & Sons Pty Ltd, a celery producer based in Boneo, Victoria, has been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court for underpaying three migrant employees. The employees, who held bridging visas and spoke Indonesian and Malay, were employed on a casual basis between February 2020 and February 2021. They were not paid minimum wages, casual loading, overtime, or public holiday rates as required by the Horticulture Awards 2010 and 2020. One employee was underpaid for 10 out of 52 weeks, another for 6 out of 36 weeks, and the third for 8 out of 41 weeks, totaling $91,907 in underpayments. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Kassiou Constructions Pty Ltd, a Darwin-based residential building and construction company, and its director, Ilias Kassiou. The action follows a request for assistance from a worker who was employed as a full-time skilled labourer from 2012 to 2021. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in September 2023, alleging the company failed to pay accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements. The company allegedly did not comply with the notice, and the Ombudsman is now taking the matter to court.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against Downings Pty Ltd, formerly operating Fremantle Pharmacy in Fremantle, and its sole director, Joseph Lenny. A pharmacist worked for the company from 2010 to 2023, initially full-time and later part-time. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in August 2023 regarding unpaid accrued annual leave entitlements. The company allegedly failed to comply with the notice and back-pay the worker’s entitlements. The pharmacy now has new operators and no allegations are made against them.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against The Ella Group (NSW) Pty Ltd, which operates Funtime Childcare in Greenacre, and its sole director, Louise Ramona Yaacoubian. The action follows a request for assistance from a young worker, an early childhood educator, who was employed casually between November 2019 and April 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in February 2023, alleging underpayment of casual minimum wages under the Children's Services Award 2010. The company allegedly failed to comply with the notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 35 food outlets in Cairns, including fast food restaurants, cafes, and cheap eats venues. The investigations, prompted by anonymous reports, found 23 businesses, or 74%, breached workplace laws. A total of 209 employees were underpaid. The largest amount recovered from a single business was $46,576 for six employees who were cooks, kitchen hands, and bar attendants. The investigation also resulted in 11 infringement notices for record-keeping and payslip breaches.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Federal Court imposed record penalties of $15.3 million against the former operators of the Sushi Bay outlets in NSW, Darwin and Canberra after the Fair Work Ombudsman proved they deliberately exploited vulnerable migrant workers. The companies and owner-director Yi Jeong 'Rebecca' Shin underpaid 163 workers, mostly Korean nationals on student, working holiday and 457 skilled worker visas, a total of $653,129 between February 2016 and January 2020. Individual underpayments ranged from $48 to $83,968. The group also falsified records to try to cover up the breaches.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced legal action against My IT Partner Pty Ltd, trading as My Info Tech Partner, an IT company in Perth. A worker was employed in an IT helpdesk support role from August 2019 to August 2022. The Fair Work Inspector believed the company underpaid minimum wages and failed to pay wages for the final three weeks of employment. The worker was also allegedly not paid accrued annual leave. My IT Partner did not comply with a Compliance Notice requiring back-payment of entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 32 food businesses in south-east Melbourne, including venues in Bentleigh, Carnegie, and Clayton. These inspections followed intelligence from various sources, including anonymous reports. The investigation found 26 businesses (81%) breached workplace laws. A total of 121 employees were underpaid, with one business owing up to $13,071 to four casual workers. The total amount recovered was over $58,000.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Sempha Solutions Pty Ltd, which operates La La Land in Brunswick, and its sole director, Simon Paul Herman. The action follows a request for assistance from a young worker who was employed as a store manager on a casual basis between September 2022 and April 2023. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in October 2023, alleging underpayment of minimum wages, overtime entitlements, and penalty rates under the General Retail Industry Award 2020. Sempha Solutions allegedly failed to comply with this notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Doll House Training Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based health and wellness research company, has been penalized for sham contracting practices. Three workers, engaged through an employment services provider for people with disabilities, were terminated and then offered independent contractor agreements. The company misrepresented these agreements as genuine contracts, despite the workers continuing to perform substantially the same work. The workers were engaged between August and October 2020. The company also failed to pay the workers in full and did not comply with a Fair Work Inspector's request for documents.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Workplace Medical Consultants Pty Ltd and its director, David Zammitt. The company provided patient transport services in Sydney. A worker was employed as a full-time patient transport officer from August 2021 to April 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in July 2023, believing the worker was underpaid overtime, unpaid for three weeks of work, and owed accrued annual leave. The company allegedly failed to comply with the notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and three officials, Wyatt Raymount, Travis Brook, and Desmond Savage, have been penalised for unlawful conduct at a construction site in Adelaide. The site was the Yatala Labour Prison upgrade project in Northfield, in 2021. Mr Raymount and Mr Brook breached the Fair Work Act by acting improperly, including entering an exclusion zone and making abusive statements. Mr Savage breached the Fair Work Act by taking adverse action against a site safety manager. The legal action was initially commenced by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) before transferring to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 21 food outlets in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, including restaurants and cafes in Noosa Shire. Inspections were prompted by reports. Investigations found 13 businesses (68%) breached workplace laws. These breaches included underpayment of penalty rates, failure to pay minimum wages, overtime, and leave, alongside record-keeping issues. One business, employing 99 staff, owes $105,137 in unpaid wages. A total of 447 workers were underpaid.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against The Art of Hair–Bateau Bay Pty Ltd, Cheri Rance, and Nelvin Lal, operators of a hairdressing salon in Bateau Bay, New South Wales. The action follows a request for assistance from an apprentice hairdresser who worked at the salon between April 2021 and February 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in July 2023, alleging the worker was not paid personal leave or accrued annual leave entitlements. The company and individuals are accused of failing to comply with the notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
A.C.U.G. (NSW) Pty Ltd and A.C.U.G. (SA) Pty Ltd, part of the Australian Container Unloading Group (ACUG), have signed an Enforceable Undertaking (EU) with the Fair Work Ombudsman. They failed to pay minimum hourly rates to 923 casual employees who unloaded containers between July 2017 and March 2022. The businesses paid employees per container unloaded, a piece rate, which did not meet minimum wage requirements under the Road Transport and Distribution Award. They also failed to keep adequate records of hours worked. The companies are based in Sydney (NSW) and Adelaide (SA).
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has issued 151 infringement notices (fines) to employers since March 2023 for posting job advertisements with illegally low pay rates. One example involved a hospitality business advertising bar staff positions at $7 to $10.50 per hour. Another advertisement offered a casual food and beverage attendant a pay rate of $13.36 per hour. The FWO is contacting major online job websites to ensure they help prevent unlawful ads and allow employers to specify accurate wage rates. An anonymous tip-off led to a fine of $313 for the hospitality business, and another business was fined $1,375.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and three officials, Paul Tzimas, Gerald McCrudden, and James Harris, have been penalised for unlawful conduct at a construction site for the Mordialloc Freeway extension project in Melbourne. The conduct occurred in November and December 2020. Mr Tzimas and Mr McCrudden made abusive remarks to health and safety managers, while Mr Harris blocked concrete trucks. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initially commenced legal action, which was later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Eagers Automotive Limited, Australia's largest car dealership business, back-paid more than $16 million including interest and superannuation to staff underpaid by five of its subsidiaries, and signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman. The five subsidiaries were acquired in 2019 from Automotive Holdings Group. Affected employees mainly worked in dealerships across Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. EAL self-reported in June 2021 after a post-acquisition payroll review found anomalies.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 43 food outlets in Newcastle, New South Wales, following anonymous reports. The inspections focused on fast food, restaurant, and café businesses. Investigations found breaches of workplace law in 30 of the 41 finalised investigations. Thirty-five businesses underpaid employees, primarily failing to pay penalty rates and minimum wages. One business owed $82,583 to two casual workers who were not paid casual minimum wages, public holiday, and weekend loading. The Fair Work Ombudsman recovered a total of $281,729 for 305 employees.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Winton Jacob International Pty Ltd, trading as 'C de C Shoes' with stores in Sydney, failed to back-pay a retail worker and issue pay slips. The company and its sole director, Winton Guo, received a request for assistance from the worker. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in December 2022 regarding underpayment of minimum wages, penalty rates, and leave entitlements. The stores closed before the matter was resolved.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against 85 Degrees Coffee Australia Pty Ltd, the franchisor of the '85 Degrees' brand in Australia. The case involved nine workers employed at eight franchisee-operated outlets in Sydney between 2019. These workers, including young workers and visa holders, were underpaid a total of $32,321. The franchisor did not directly underpay the workers but was held liable for the franchisees’ actions. Previous penalties and an enforceable undertaking were already in place regarding compliance issues.
Fair Work Ombudsman
MT Infinity Pty Ltd, formerly operating Flow Cafe in Marrickville, Sydney, failed to back-pay two employees, a married couple, the wages they were owed. The employees worked as a waiter and a cook between April 2019 and October 2021. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the workers. The company and its sole director, Miah Golam Tareque, did not comply with a Compliance Notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Open Minds Australia Limited, a disability support charity, has back-paid approximately $4.2 million to around 1,507 current and former employees for underpayments. The underpayments occurred between July 2015 and July 2021, due to errors in payroll and rostering systems related to a collective agreement. Open Minds became a subsidiary of Multicap Limited in 2021 and self-reported the issues to the Fair Work Ombudsman in June 2021. The affected employees were support workers, residential support workers and case workers across Queensland and northern NSW.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured $966,890 in penalties against Colin Kenneth Elvin, his former company Foot & Thai Massage Pty Ltd, and Jun Millard Puerto. This followed a civil case involving seven Filipino workers who were exploited at the ‘foot&thai’ massage parlour in Belconnen, Canberra, between June 2012 and February 2016. The workers, who held 457 visas, were underpaid a total of $971,092 and subjected to coercion, discrimination, and threats, including threats to harm their families if they complained. Six employees were also required to pay back a portion of their wages. The Fair Work Ombudsman began investigating the parlour in 2016.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and an official, Paul Tzimas, have been penalised for unlawful conduct at a construction site on the North East Link Project in Melbourne. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initiated legal action. The incidents occurred on February 4, 2021, when Mr Tzimas entered an area where an excavator was operating without authorisation and refused to leave when asked.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Lotus Farm Pty Ltd, a tomato and cucumber farm in Werribee South, Victoria, after receiving requests for assistance from two former employees. The employees, who were pickers and packers and from non-English speaking backgrounds, alleged they were paid unlawfully low flat hourly rates. Lotus Farm admitted to failing to meet minimum pay rates, casual loading, overtime, and public holiday penalty rates as outlined in the Horticulture Industry Award 2010. One worker was underpaid $22,364 and the other $6,167 between June 2017 and September 2020. A director, Son Thai, was also involved. The company provided false payslips and failed to keep proper records.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and three officials, Dean Rielly, Matthew Vonhoff, and Margues Pare, have been penalised for breaching right of entry laws. The case involved an incident at the Yatala South Interchange upgrade project, south of Brisbane, in October 2021. The officials failed to sign a visitor register while exercising entry rights, despite being asked to do so. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initially brought the legal action, which later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
DTF World Square Pty Ltd and Selden Farlane Lachlan Investments Pty Ltd, former operators of Din Tai Fung restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne, have been penalized for underpaying vulnerable migrant workers. The Fair Work Ombudsman secured $4 million in penalties against the companies and $200,000 against two former managers, Hannah Handoko and Sinthiana Parmenas. Seventeen employees, primarily visa holders from Indonesia and China, were underpaid a total of $157,025. The underpayments related to the Restaurant Industry Award 2010, including casual loading, weekend, and public holiday penalty rates. Some employees were under 26 and four were sponsored by DTF World Square Pty Ltd.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated On the Run Pty Ltd (OTR), a service station and convenience store operator with locations in South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia, following employee queries. An investigation of 15 sites revealed OTR incorrectly classified employees, leading to underpayment of annual leave entitlements. Between July 2018 and February 2023, 1,524 employees were affected. 934 former employees will receive back payments totaling over $975,000, and 590 current employees will have over 43,900 hours of annual leave credited. Affected employees were mainly console operators or roadhouse attendants.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against the University of Melbourne for adverse action against two casual academics. The academics complained about being required to work more hours than stated in their contracts without additional pay. The University threatened to not re-employ one academic and offered no further work to another after they raised concerns about payment for extra hours. The University admitted to the conduct.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Insurance Australia Group Services Pty Limited and Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Limited, both subsidiaries of IAG, signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after back-paying more than $21 million in owed wages and entitlements. IAG operates brands including NRMA Insurance, RACV, CGU, SGIO, Swann Insurance, WFI and ROLLiN. The companies self-reported in December 2020. Underpayments were caused by basic shortcomings, including not having time and attendance systems in place, which meant employees were not paid for their actual hours of work. IAG also failed to reconcile enterprise agreement pay against minimum entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and a union official, Travis Brook, were taken to court by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC). The case involved a construction site in Adelaide, where Mr Brook failed to comply with a site safety requirement to be escorted while on site. This breached right of entry laws under the Fair Work Act. The incident occurred on December 15, 2021, at the Norwood Mixed Development Project.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against ASA Personnel Pty Ltd, a labour-hire company operating in Victoria and Queensland, its director Steven Lloyd Richardson, and its payroll manager Peter Crilly. An investigation alleges the company underpaid 13 casual labourers a total of $236,100 between November 2018 and May 2021. The workers performed construction work in Toongabbie, Rosedale, and Drouin South, Victoria. A Compliance Notice issued in June 2023 was not followed, and the company and individuals are now facing court.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Ansa Finance Pty Ltd, a Melbourne-based mortgage broking business, and its manager, Joshua Fuoco, have been penalized for failing to backpay five workers and issue pay slips. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the workers, who were employed as finance brokers between February 2020 and November 2021. The workers were underpaid an estimated total of over $17,000 in minimum wages, leave entitlements, and payment-in-lieu-of-notice. A Fair Work Inspector issued five Compliance Notices to Ansa Finance.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced legal action against Workersweb Pty Ltd, trading as TRP Physiotherapy & Sports Injury, which operates clinics in Fairfield, Homebush, and Wentworthville, Sydney. The action followed a request for assistance from a physiotherapist who worked for the company from May to October 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in April 2023, believing the physiotherapist was not paid accrued but untaken annual leave when his employment ended. The company allegedly failed to comply with this notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Federal Court imposed record penalties of $10.34 million against the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and its subsidiary Commonwealth Securities Limited (CommSec) after the Fair Work Ombudsman proved the companies had underpaid employees more than $16 million. CBA and CommSec admitted multiple breaches of the Fair Work Act, including serious contraventions committed knowingly and systematically. Serious contraventions attract a tenfold increase in applicable maximum penalties. The breaches related to failures in the companies' system of Enterprise Agreements and Individual Flexibility Arrangements, including missing the required regular reconciliations and top-up payments needed to ensure minimum lawful entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman is conducting surprise inspections of approximately 20 food businesses in Gungahlin and Queanbeyan, New South Wales. These inspections are part of a national program targeting food precincts. They are responding to intelligence suggesting potential underpayments of employees. The businesses are primarily 'cheap eats' venues and often employ vulnerable workers like visa holders and young people. Inspectors are speaking with business owners, managers, and employees and reviewing records.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured penalties against Keri Taiaroa, a former director and shareholder of six La La Bar Group companies, Matthew Sanger, former general manager of those companies, Nicholas Accounting Management Services Pty Ltd, an accounting firm, and Nicholas Nicolaou, a director of the accounting firm. The penalties relate to breaches of workplace record-keeping laws and failure to comply with Notices to Produce. The La La Bar Group included eight companies, which have since been liquidated. The Fair Work Ombudsman initiated audits in 2019 following intelligence and allegations of non-compliance.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Optus Retailco Pty Limited, a subsidiary of Singtel Optus that operates Optus retail stores across Australia, back-paid more than $7.8 million including interest and superannuation to underpaid employees and signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman. Singtel Optus self-reported in April 2021 after an internal review. Affected employees were retail consultants and store managers across Australia between January 2014 and March 2020. The underpayments were caused by poor payroll, time and attendance, HR and governance practices, and errors in the Optus Retail Agreement 2013 and the General Retail Industry Awards 2010 and 2020. Failures included not doing annual reconciliations against the award, and not paying retail consultants for work performed before or after their rostered shifts.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Clear Plumbing Services Pty Ltd, located in Gippsland, Victoria, and its sole director, Cameron Nigel Lear. The action follows a request for assistance from a young worker who was employed by the company from April 2021 to April 2022, when they were aged 17 to 18. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in August 2023, alleging underpayment of minimum wages under the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020. The company allegedly failed to comply with the notice, and Mr Lear is alleged to have been involved. The worker was initially employed on a weekly hire basis before commencing a plumbing apprenticeship.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Shi Yuen Wong, a Hong Kong national on a working holiday visa, worked at Winit (AU) Trade Pty Ltd, a Sydney warehouse and distribution company. He realised he wasn't being paid correctly, particularly overtime rates. After researching on the Fair Work Ombudsman website, he learned about his workplace rights. He gathered information from approximately 20 colleagues and contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman. The investigation revealed 30 migrant employees were underpaid a total of $368,684.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Mr Viet Quoc Mai and his wife, Huong Le, who operate two Vietnamese eateries in Adelaide. They are accused of allegedly underpaying 36 workers, primarily Vietnamese international students, a total of $407,546 between January 2018 and September 2021. Five of the workers were juniors aged 18 to 20. The alleged underpayments ranged from $74 to $58,592. Inspectors discovered the underpayments during audits in April 2021. Workers held casual roles as kitchen attendants, customer service staff, and bar/waitstaff.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against KRC Pty Ltd, which operates The Colonel's Son café in Black Rock, Melbourne, and its manager, Rishi Chaudhari. The action follows a request for assistance from a former full-time cook who worked at the café between February 2021 and February 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in August 2023, believing the worker was not paid accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements. The company allegedly failed to comply with the notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and two officials, Andrew Blakeley and Luke Gibson, faced legal action from the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC). The case involved an incident at a Coles Distribution Facility Project construction site in Redbank, Ipswich, Queensland, on February 28, 2020. Blakeley and Gibson obstructed a concrete pour by blocking a reversing truck and misrepresented their authority to stop work to a police officer. They admitted to breaching right of entry laws under the Fair Work Act.
Fair Work Ombudsman
St Vincent’s Health Australia, a large not-for-profit health and aged care provider, self-reported underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman in July 2021. Four of its businesses – St Vincent’s Private Hospitals Ltd, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney Limited, St Vincent’s Care Services Ltd, and St Vincent’s Private Hospital Sydney – underpaid employees in NSW and Queensland between 2014 and 2020. The underpayments, totaling over $4.4 million, affected more than 2,700 current and former employees. Affected roles included nurses, support staff, aged care workers, clinical managers, and personal care assistants. The underpayments related to annual leave loading, weekly allowances, overtime entitlements, and annual leave entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against More Than Skin Pty Ltd, which operated The Noshery café in Glebe, Sydney, and its co-directors, Lila and Lupo Stojcevski. The company and individuals failed to comply with Compliance Notices and breached pay slip laws. Three workers, including two international students and a working holiday visa holder, were employed in kitchen and waitstaff roles between September and December 2020. The Fair Work Ombudsman issued Compliance Notices in March and May 2021 regarding underpayment of minimum casual wages, casual penalty rates for weekend and public holiday work, and failure to provide pay slips.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against Lachlan Robert Oliver, the former operator of LROC Builders Pty Ltd and L.R. Oliver Carpentry, both based in Carrum Downs, Victoria. The action follows requests for assistance from four carpenters, three employed by LROC Builders and one by Mr Oliver, between December 2018 and April 2022. Fair Work Inspectors issued Compliance Notices in 2022 and 2023 after believing the carpenters were underpaid. The businesses ceased trading.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and an official, Paul Tzimas, were penalised for unlawful conduct at a construction site in Belgrave, Melbourne. The incident occurred on May 2, 2022, at a commuter car park construction site near Belgrave Railway Station. Mr Tzimas pushed a senior site manager and knocked his hard hat off, causing him to lose balance. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initiated legal action, which later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Xuan A Tran and Quang Manh Dong, a husband-and-wife partnership operating 'Vina Yummy Kitchen' in Hobart, have been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. They admitted to underpaying two employees—Ms Tran’s sister and her sister’s husband, both Vietnamese nationals—a total of $175,000 between 2015 and 2019. The underpayment included failing to pay minimum rates for ordinary hours, public holidays, overtime, and leave entitlements. Ms Tran also provided false records to Fair Work inspectors. The couple assisted the workers to migrate to Australia and acted as visa sponsors for Ms Tran’s sister.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and two officials, Anthony Dimitriou and Gerasimos Danalis. They breached right of entry laws in November 2018 at a Kiama Aged Care Centre construction project. The unlawful conduct involved obstructing concrete trucks and making misleading statements about their entry to the site. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner initially commenced legal action, which was later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against Upper East Side Bondi Pty Ltd, a former Bondi bar and restaurant, and its former director, Julia Rose Gelonese. This followed a request for assistance from a worker and investigations revealing underpayment of eight employees, including visa holders, between September 2019 and March 2020. The workers were employed in front-of-house and kitchen roles. The company and director previously faced penalties in 2021 for similar breaches. They provided false documents and information to the Fair Work Ombudsman on 12 occasions, claiming back-payments had been made.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Calvary Administration Pty Ltd, formerly Japara Administration Pty Ltd, has back-paid over $2.1 million in underpayments to approximately 2,800 current and former employees. The underpayments occurred between January 2017 and June 2020, impacting workers in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania. The errors stemmed from payroll issues, including a failure to apply Sunday penalty rates and underpayments of annual leave loading and parental leave entitlements. Japara Administration self-reported the underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman in July 2020. The employees worked in aged care facilities in various roles.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has conducted inspections of 447 agriculture businesses across 15 regional areas of Australia since December 2021. These inspections targeted areas with a high risk of non-compliance. The FWO has issued 98 infringement notices for pay slip and record-keeping breaches, totalling $316,860 in fines, with most fines directed at labour hire entities. Additionally, 48 compliance notices resulted in $72,301 in back-payments for 184 workers. Investigations in the Sunraysia region found 37 non-compliant businesses, with labour hire companies receiving the majority of fines.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Winit (AU) Trade Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based company providing warehousing and distribution services, underpaid nearly 400 employees, primarily migrant workers, between 2014 and 2019. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving requests for assistance. A sample of 30 working-holiday-visa holders, mostly from Taiwan, were underpaid a total of $368,684 between July 2017 and June 2018. Employees regularly worked long hours but were paid a flat hourly rate of $24.41 without penalty or overtime. The company also breached laws regarding pay slips and other Award obligations. Song Cheng, the company’s sole director and general manager, was also involved.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Aruma Services Limited, a not-for-profit disability support provider operating across NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT, signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after back-paying Victorian staff more than $6.5 million, including interest and superannuation. Aruma self-reported in June 2021. Its enterprise agreement had been interpreted incorrectly, and its payroll system could not always apply overtime rates. 1,004 employees were underpaid between July 2017 and April 2021. Most underpayments involved Aruma failing to provide part-time employees with their minimum agreed hours (or pay for them), and failing to apply overtime rates where an employee worked more than six consecutive days of ordinary duty without a 24-hour break.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Om Shiva Foods Pty Ltd, trading as Wulagi Supermarket, and its sole director, Vinay Madasu. The action follows a request for assistance from a casual retail assistant, a visa holder from India, who worked at the supermarket between February 2020 and August 2021. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in October 2022, alleging the worker was underpaid minimum wages, penalty rates, and overtime for weekend and public holiday work. The worker is alleged to be owed more than $68,000. The company also allegedly breached pay slip laws and failed to comply with the Compliance Notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Brownport Almonds Pty Ltd, trading as Bright Light, a large almond grower and processor in Hattah, Victoria, has back-paid over $500,000 to 197 current and former employees. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving worker requests for assistance. The investigation revealed the company misclassified workers under the Horticulture Award, leading to underpayments between 2016 and 2021. A payroll audit found employees were paid flat rates, even when performing duties of a higher classification. Most affected employees were in full-time or casual harvesting and production roles.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and a former official, Dean Reilly, have been penalised for breaching right of entry laws. The breaches occurred at a Pacific Motorway construction site near Gold Coast, Queensland, in April 2021. Mr Reilly failed to comply with site rules requiring visitors to be accompanied by an inducted representative. He entered work areas without supervision. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initially commenced legal action, which later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has commenced legal action against the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The FWO alleges UNSW breached workplace laws between 2017 and 2022. These breaches include failing to keep proper records of employee hours, rates of pay, and loadings; failing to include required information on pay slips; and failing to pay wages monthly. The FWO's investigation began in 2020 after UNSW self-reported non-compliance. The litigation focuses on 66 casual academic staff in UNSW’s Business School. Some allegations initially considered serious contraventions have been withdrawn.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and two former officials, Andrew Blakeley and Beau Seiffert, were taken to court by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC). The case involved breaches of right of entry laws at the Central Energy Towers project in South Brisbane in November 2020. Blakeley directed workers to stop work and used abusive language towards a site manager. Seiffert was present and did not intervene. The case was later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Southern Cross Care (Tasmania) Inc, Tasmania's largest aged care operator, signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman and is back-paying staff almost $6.9 million. The not-for-profit self-reported in August 2021 after identifying breaches during an internal review prompted by fundamental errors in its payroll and human resources systems. The errors included failing to have written agreements with part-time staff to work additional hours at ordinary rates, which meant employees were entitled to overtime for those additional hours but were not paid it. The organisation also failed to recognise that shift-workers without written agreements were entitled to be paid from the start of their first shift to the end of their final shift each day, rather than just the hours worked during the separate shifts. Underpayments occurred between 2015 and 2022 across Hobart, Launceston, Somerset and Low Head.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against Il Roy Pty Ltd, which operated 'Cha Cha Char' and 'Il Centro' restaurants in Brisbane, and its sole director, Bingqi Zhao. Five workers, including an office manager, bar manager, restaurant manager, and two head chefs, raised concerns about unpaid entitlements between January 2015 and December 2020. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in March 2022 regarding unpaid annual leave. It is also alleged that four workers were not paid payment-in-lieu-of-notice and redundancy entitlements. The total alleged underpayment is $99,132.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Adelaide-based security company Agile Group (Global) Pty Ltd and its head of group operations, Justin Benjamin James Brinkies. An investigation began in January 2022 following a request for assistance from an employee. A Fair Work Inspector issued two Compliance Notices, believing 19 workers, some visa holders, were underpaid a total of $98,302 between September 2021 and July 2022. The alleged underpayments relate to various entitlements including minimum rates, casual loading, overtime, and penalty rates.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against A & G Lamattina & Sons Pty Ltd, a celery producer based in Boneo, Victoria. Three farmhands who held bridging visas and spoke Indonesian and Malay, alleged they were underpaid a total of $91,907 between February 2020 and February 2021. One worker was allegedly paid for 10 out of 52 weeks, another for six out of 36 weeks, and the third for eight out of 41 weeks. The workers performed casual tasks such as planting, picking, and cutting celery.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced legal action against The Little Unicorn on Honeysuckle Pty Ltd, a day care centre in Newcastle. The action followed a request for assistance from a casual childcare worker who alleged she was not paid for her final shifts between June 2021 and May 2022. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in December 2022 regarding alleged underpayment of minimum entitlements under the Children’s Services Award 2010. The company allegedly failed to comply with this notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Champagne or Wine Pty Ltd, which operates the 'Mother Dough' Italian restaurant in Hawthorn, Melbourne, following a request for assistance from a young waiter. The waiter was employed casually from June 2018 to September 2019. A Fair Work inspector issued a Compliance Notice in July 2020, believing the worker was underpaid minimum wages and penalty rates. The company and its directors, Jeffrey Dean Baldassarre and Allison Claire Barnes, failed to comply with the notice and a Notice to Produce records.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured $375,515 in penalties against Polytrade (now PT 349 Pty Ltd), PTES 928 Pty Ltd, and company owners Man Sang Chen and Pui Shan Ho. Five migrant workers employed at waste management facilities in Melbourne were underpaid a total of $194,249 between 2018 and 2019. The workers, who held protection and bridging visas, were paid a flat rate of $22 per hour, failing to account for overtime, shift work, weekend, or public holiday work. PTES 928 Pty Ltd acted as a labour provider supplying workers to Polytrade. Ms Ho also owns PTES 928 Pty Ltd.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated underpayments to 25 stadium cleaners at Marvel Stadium (formerly Etihad Stadium) in Melbourne. The cleaners were paid unlawfully low flat rates between February and June 2017, resulting in a total of $99,637 in underpayments. The investigation began after an anonymous tip-off. Quayclean Australia Pty Ltd, a cleaning contractor, Ranvel Pty Ltd, a sub-contractor, and two company directors, Indika Udara Lokubalasuriya and Harjot Singh, were penalised. Lionheart Workforce Pty Ltd, another sub-contractor, was also involved but could not be pursued due to liquidation.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and two union representatives, Michael Ravbar and Andrew Blakeley, were penalised for unlawful conduct at construction sites on the Queensland Cross River Rail project. The incidents occurred at the Woolloongabba and Roma Street Station sites in Brisbane on August 19 and 24, 2021. They breached right of entry laws by failing to follow site protocols, bringing unauthorized vehicles onto the sites, and setting up a BBQ which disrupted work. Andrew Blakeley also made physical contact with a site representative. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initially brought the legal action, which later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU) faced legal action from the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC). The case concerned unlawful industrial action at the Southpoint A hotel and apartment construction site in Brisbane. A CEPU official organised plumbing company employees to cease work for 3.5 hours on December 1, 2017. Allegations against a former CEPU official and workers were withdrawn. Responsibility for the case transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman in December 2022.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced legal action against Green Vic Pty Ltd, a construction company in Melbourne. The investigation began after a worker, who held roles as Finishes Foreman and Project Maintenance Manager between May 2019 and August 2022, requested assistance. A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice in January 2023, alleging the worker was not paid personal leave entitlements. Green Vic Pty Ltd allegedly failed to comply with this notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Apollo Health Limited, a healthcare provider owned by St John Ambulance Western Australia Limited, has back-paid over $4.86 million to 438 current and former employees. The company self-reported underpayments discovered during a review. These underpayments occurred between July 2013 and July 2021, impacting employees in Armidale, Cannington, Cockburn, Joondalup, and Kambalda. Issues included payroll errors, incorrect application of modern awards, and inadequate time recording. Affected employees held various roles including healthcare, medical, dental, and support positions.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and delegate Jason Roach were penalised for unlawful conduct at a Melbourne construction site, the 'Melbourne Quarter – Commercial Tower 2MQ Project'. In April 2020, Mr Roach prevented a subcontractor from working because they were not a paid-up CFMMEU member. He told the subcontractor a membership fee was required, and then prevented them from working when they refused to pay. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initially brought the case, which later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Bakers Delight Holdings Pty Ltd, the Australian franchisor of the Bakers Delight chain. The action relates to alleged underpayments totaling $1.25 million to 142 mostly young staff at three Hobart stores (Kingston, Lindisfarne, and Eastlands) between July 2017 and October 2020. The franchisee, Make Dough Enterprises Pty Ltd, owned and managed by John Vince Puglisi and Lisa Kay Puglisi, allegedly directly employed and underpaid the workers. The company is now in liquidation. The franchisor is accused of knowing about the underpayments after February 2019 but failing to prevent further issues.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Rainbow Wholefoods Pty Ltd, a health food retailer based in Lismore, northern NSW, has been penalised for failing to pay compensation to two unfairly dismissed workers. A manager and a shop assistant, employed since 2015 and 2018 respectively, were dismissed in July 2020. The Fair Work Commission ordered Rainbow Wholefoods to pay a total of $50,967.20 in compensation. The company and its director, Anthony Stillone, have admitted to breaching the Fair Work Act by failing to comply with these orders. Partial payments have been made, but significant amounts remain outstanding.
Fair Work Ombudsman
NQ Powertrain Pty Ltd, a labour-hire company based in Far North Queensland, has been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. The company admitted to breaching workplace laws by underpaying 87 visa holders a total of $49,933 between December 2018 and May 2020. The workers, from countries including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, were employed under the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) and Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) and supplied to farms near Cairns. The company made unlawful deductions for accommodation and transport costs and failed to pay correct minimum entitlements under the Horticulture Award 2010. NQ Powertrain ceased trading in 2022.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth, casino and resort operators, have back-paid over $1.2 million to approximately 200 current and former employees. This followed self-reported underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) in March 2020. An audit identified that employees were incorrectly classified as award-free, resulting in underpayment of penalty rates, minimum hourly rates, overtime, and paid leave rates between July 2014 and June 2020. Affected employees held roles such as hairdressers, chefs, and receptionists.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Suncorp Staff Pty Ltd, Suncorp Insurance Services Limited and AAMI (together Suncorp) signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after back-paying about $32 million to more than 15,800 employees in the insurance arm of the business. Underpayments occurred between May 2014 and March 2022. The cause was inconsistent application of the term 'Rostered Employee' in Suncorp's enterprise agreements, plus misunderstandings of entitlements tied to a self-service process. Affected entitlements included overtime, shift loadings, weekend penalties, annual leave loading, public holiday loadings, long service leave, redundancy, payment in lieu of notice and superannuation.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 14 Sharetea franchise outlets after receiving reports of potential underpayments. The investigation, which began in April 2022, involved stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Canberra. Inspectors found that only five of the 14 outlets complied with workplace laws, including the Fast Food Award 2010 and 2020. A total of 36 workers were affected, with $89,952 in unpaid wages recovered. One Sydney store accounted for $78,711 of the recovered amount, impacting 18 employees. The franchisee operating that store is no longer in business.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Carnarvon Cleaners Pty Ltd, a contract cleaning company based in Carnarvon, Western Australia, and its sole director and shareholder, Margaret Herlysha Seaton, have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. They admitted to underpaying 35 employees a total of $114,538 between November 2017 and November 2018. The employees worked as cleaners, gardeners, and trolley collectors in the Gascoyne region. The company also falsified records when dealing with Fair Work Inspectors. Previous audits in 2010, 2013, and 2014 had already identified underpayment issues.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Aisha & Umma Enterprises Pty Ltd, formerly trading as RMB Café in Melbourne, has been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. The company failed to comply with a Compliance Notice regarding underpayments to 13 food and beverage attendants and cooks. These employees worked at the café between May 2017 and August 2019. The Fair Work Ombudsman began an investigation as part of Melbourne food precinct audits.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and two of its organisers, Andrew Blakeley and Luke Gibson, were taken to court by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) in 2020. The case involved their conduct at a Queensland Cross River Rail project site on Boggo Road, Brisbane, in April 2020. They admitted to improper conduct breaching the Fair Work Act, including comments made at the site. Initially, a judge imposed penalties totaling $151,200. The CFMMEU and the individuals appealed the decision.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Mehtaab Group, a Melbourne-based painting company trading as Paint Splash, and its sole director, Vikramjeet Singh Khalsa. The company dismissed an Indian international student employee unfairly and failed to pay $21,491.17 in compensation, as ordered by the Fair Work Commission. They also failed to pay outstanding annual leave entitlements. The company and its director are based in Tarneit.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Gothic Downs Pty Ltd, which operates Bakers Boutique & Patisserie outlets in Melbourne, and its sole director, Giuseppe Conforto, failed to comply with Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) Compliance Notices. The notices related to underpayment of entitlements to two workers at Meadow Heights and Caroline Springs outlets between 2016 and 2018. One worker was a visa holder from India. The company and director back-paid $30,107 after the FWO commenced legal action. The workers were a pastry cook and a sales assistant.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Uniting AgeWell Limited, a not-for-profit aged care provider, self-reported underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman in September 2021. A review revealed incorrect interpretation of enterprise agreements, rostering issues, and failure to pay correct penalty rates and allowances. Between 2015 and 2021, 4,971 employees across Victoria and Tasmania were underpaid a total of approximately $3.5 million, plus $127,640 in superannuation. The company has back-paid 4,224 current and former employees, with the remaining rectifications to follow. Affected roles included nurses, bus drivers, chefs, and social workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has agreed to back-pay over 2,700 current and former casual professional staff more than $4.4 million in underpayments, plus over $1.3 million in superannuation and interest. The underpayments occurred between September 2014 and May 2021. UTS discovered the issue during an internal review of its payroll system in May 2021 and self-reported the non-compliance to the Fair Work Ombudsman. The underpayments stemmed from a failure to update employment contracts and payroll systems to reflect minimum engagement pay increases outlined in the 2014 and 2018 professional staff enterprise agreements.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman is focusing on compliance within the agriculture sector. Since December 2021, inspectors have investigated 330 businesses in regional areas, including the Whitsunday Coast, Adelaide and Adelaide Hills, South West WA, and Stanthorpe. Investigations have focused on pay slip and record-keeping breaches, with a particular concern for labour hire companies. Inspectors have also issued notices for underpayments and failure to provide information statements to new workers. Many ongoing investigations relate to pieceworker minimum wage guarantees.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 49 businesses in Sydney's food precincts, including Haymarket, Chinatown, and Darling Harbour. The investigations found that 77% of the 47 completed investigations revealed breaches of workplace laws. A total of 36 businesses were found to be in breach, with 31 underpaying workers and 22 failing to provide proper payslips or records. The investigation involved 333 workers and recovered $239,505 in unpaid wages. The largest recovery from one business was $52,081 for 18 employees. The businesses were selected due to a history of non-compliance, anonymous tip-offs, or employing vulnerable visa holders.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Louise Maree Melotte and Travis Francis Melotte, a married couple who operated Hotel Frangos and Café Koukla in Daylesford, Victoria. They are accused of allegedly underpaying 97 staff a total of $320,929 between May 2017 and July 2019. The affected workers included 15 junior employees aged 15 to 20 and several visa holders from Nepal, Pakistan, and Armenia. The alleged underpayments involved insufficient salaries for full-time employees and unpaid entitlements for casual employees, including minimum wage, casual loading, overtime rates, and penalty rates. Two cooks on Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visas were allegedly required to work excessive hours, averaging nearly 50 hours per week.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman is conducting surprise inspections of approximately 50 food outlets in Newcastle, New South Wales. The inspections target businesses in suburbs like Broadmeadow, Cameron Park, and Mayfield. The regulator is checking for compliance with pay and entitlements, following intelligence suggesting potential underpayments. Businesses targeted often serve as 'cheap eats' venues and may employ vulnerable workers, such as visa holders. The inspections involve speaking with business owners, managers, and employees, and reviewing records.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured penalties against Green Clean (Aust) Pty Ltd and a former manager after they underpaid two international students from Nepal. The students worked as casual cleaners between March and June 2019. Green Clean misclassified them as independent contractors, resulting in underpayment of minimum wages, casual loading, broken-shift allowance, penalty rates, overtime entitlements, and superannuation. The company and manager provided false records to a Fair Work Inspector. This is the second time Green Clean has faced penalties for similar breaches.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Yeon Beauty Salon Pty Ltd, trading as ‘Yeon Art Hair’ in Eastwood, Sydney, and its sole director and manager, Mi Yeon Ha, underpaid a South Korean employee between 2015 and 2019. The employee worked as a hairdresser and was sponsored by the company on a subclass 457 visa. She was required to make unlawful cashback payments to Ms Ha to cover leave entitlements and visa related costs. Fair Work Inspectors investigated after the employee requested assistance. The investigation revealed underpayment of minimum wages, tool allowance, overtime pay, and penalty rates, along with false payslips and failure to keep records.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Sushil Kumar, a former restaurant operator in Leederville, Western Australia, exploited a Bangladeshi cook who was working in Australia on a subclass 457 visa. The cook was recruited in 2015 and worked at the Bricklane British Curry House. Kumar required the cook to pay back cash from his wages, resulting in a total underpayment of $38,822. The cook also sustained a workplace injury and lodged a workers’ compensation claim. Kumar subsequently dismissed the cook and contacted immigration authorities about the termination.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and three officials, Blake Hynes, Te Aranui Albert, and Michael Ravbar, were taken to court by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC). The case involved disruptions at a Bruce Highway project site near Caloundra, Queensland, in July 2018. Officials blocked a truck carrying concrete girders and Hynes aggressively confronted a safety advisor. Responsibility for the case transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman in December 2022.
Fair Work Ombudsman
JMSL Pty Ltd, a former franchisee of The Coffee Club in Geelong, Victoria, and its sole director, Edison Peng, underpaid two young workers a total of $15,412 between May 2016 and November 2018. The workers were paid flat rates as low as $15 per hour, resulting in underpayment of junior hourly rates, casual loadings, weekend and public holiday penalty rates. The company and director falsified records and provided them to the Fair Work Ombudsman. They back-paid the workers after legal action commenced. The Fair Work Ombudsman had previously warned Mr Peng about workplace law obligations.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and several of its officials were taken to court by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) in 2019. The legal action related to unlawful picketing, coercion, and applying undue pressure on a crane company, Botany Cranes, to sign a CFMMEU enterprise agreement and reinstate a union delegate. This involved a picket of around 50 people outside Botany Cranes’ premises in Botany in January 2019. In 2021, Justice Steven Rares imposed penalties totaling $1,022,500. The CFMMEU and individuals appealed the decision.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Timothy Baxter Chambers and Craig Richard Simpson, former directors of ProClean HQ Pty Ltd. The company provided cleaning services at Sydney Trains’ Auburn Maintenance Centre and went into liquidation in 2021. The investigation began after concerns were raised about underpayments. It is alleged that five migrant cleaners from Sri Lanka and Nepal, aged between 19 and their early 20s, were underpaid a total of over $125,000 between February 2018 and April 2019. ProClean HQ allegedly misclassified them as independent contractors, requiring them to obtain Australian Business Numbers and sign agreements for flat rates of $20 to $22 per hour.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 13 security businesses in Perth following concerns about workplace law compliance. Investigations concluded for 12 businesses, revealing that nine (75%) were non-compliant. A total of 102 security guards and supervisors were underpaid by eight businesses. The most common breaches involved failing to pay penalty rates for weekend, shift, public holiday, and other loadings, and failing to pay overtime rates. $368,666 was recovered and two infringement notices were issued for pay slip and record-keeping breaches.
Fair Work Ombudsman
David Jones Pty Ltd and Cicero Clothing Pty Ltd (trading as Politix) have signed Enforceable Undertakings (EUs) with the Fair Work Ombudsman. They reported underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman in September 2020. The underpayments, affecting over 7,000 employees, stemmed from payroll errors, incorrect salary calculations, and failures to provide required entitlements. Politix underpaid approximately 850 employees between November 2016 and September 2020, while David Jones underpaid around 2,800 employees between April 2014 and September 2020. The total underpayment amounts were approximately $2.06 million plus $45,000 in superannuation for Politix and $480,000 plus $1.4 million in superannuation for David Jones. Most backpayments have been made.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman is conducting surprise inspections of approximately 50 food outlets in Perth, including Belmont, Victoria Park, and East Victoria Park. These inspections are part of a national program targeting food precincts. They are checking for underpayments and ensuring workers receive correct pay and entitlements. The inspections follow intelligence suggesting potential underpayments, particularly affecting vulnerable workers like visa holders and students. Businesses were selected based on factors like anonymous reports and employing vulnerable workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman pursued legal action against the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU), its Secretary Michael Ravbar, and union organiser Andrew Blakeley. The case involved alleged breaches of right of entry laws at a construction site for the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in South Brisbane in November 2020. Initial court proceedings were commenced by the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) in May 2021.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against The University of Melbourne. The University is alleged to have underpaid 14 casual academics in the Faculty of Arts between February 2017 and December 2019. The academics were not paid for all hours of marking work, instead being paid based on 'benchmarks'. Total underpayments allegedly amounted to $154,424, ranging from $927 to $30,140 per individual. Staff were required to record hours based on these benchmarks, not actual hours worked. The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges serious contraventions of the Fair Work Act.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Seven subsidiaries of Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety Pty Ltd (WIS), including J. Blackwood & Son Pty Ltd, Protector Alsafe Pty Ltd, Bullivants Pty Limited, The Workwear Group Pty Ltd, Coregas Pty Ltd, Blacksmith Jacks Pty Ltd and Lawvale Pty Ltd, have underpaid more than 3,400 employees nationally. The underpayments occurred between January 2010 and June 2020, totaling over $4.8 million plus $246,779 in superannuation. The errors stemmed from payroll system issues arising from acquisitions made in 2013 and 2014. Affected employees worked in various roles across locations including Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Mackay, Canberra, Perth and Darwin.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and six current and former officials were found to have breached right of entry laws at a Logan and Gateway motorways extension construction site in Brisbane in 2018. The Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) initially brought the case to the Federal Court in 2020. The officials entered the site on four dates, failed to display entry permits, and did not leave when asked. Beau Seiffert entered the site on each of those dates. Responsibility for the case transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman in December 2022.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured $90,000 in penalties against four companies operating commercial laundry businesses under the name ‘South Pacific Laundry’. These companies are Specialised Linen Services (Sydney), Specialised Linen Services (Adelaide), Specialised Linen Services (Cairns), and Specialised Linen Services (Melbourne). Twenty-two workers were underpaid a total of $24,134 between January 2018 and October 2018. One worker was 17 years old, and four were visa holders. The investigation began with a Cairns-based company as part of the Workplace Basics Campaign and expanded after anonymous reports. Affected workers held full-time, part-time, and casual positions.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action in the Federal Court against Super Retail Group Limited (SRG Limited) and four subsidiaries: Super Cheap Auto Pty Ltd, Rebel Sport Ltd, SRG Leisure Retail Pty Ltd (trading as BCF and Ray’s Outdoors), and Macpac Retail Pty Ltd. SRG Limited disclosed widespread underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Securities Exchange. Approximately 146 employees across the group are the focus of the legal action, alleging a total of $1.14 million in underpayments between January 2017 and March 2019. The underpayments reportedly occurred because salaried employees’ annual salaries did not cover their minimum lawful entitlements, particularly overtime work. The workers included full-time, part-time and casual staff, based in stores across Australia.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and three of its officials were taken to court by the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) for unlawful picketing at a Canberra building site in May 2018. The picketing delayed work for two hours and involved blocking entrances with cars, linking arms, and using locks and chains. The CFMMEU and officials admitted to the unlawful actions. Initially, penalties totaling $126,000 were imposed. Following an appeal, the Federal Court increased the CFMMEU’s penalty to $180,000.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Australian Unity Limited, the ASX-listed health, wealth and care company, signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after back-paying staff in Victoria and New South Wales more than $6.8 million. Australian Unity self-reported in November 2020 after identifying payroll errors in its Independent and Assisted Living arm, which operates retirement communities and provides aged care, allied health and disability services. Between 2014 and 2021, employees were underpaid entitlements owed under 10 current and former enterprise agreements, two state awards, and the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS). Breaches related to penalty rates, minimum engagements, overtime, travel time, higher duties, leave accruals and superannuation. Affected staff included nurses, cooks, catering staff, residential care workers, lifestyle workers, administrative staff, gardeners, laundry and maintenance workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
RSL LifeCare, a not-for-profit aged and veteran services organisation affiliated with RSL NSW, self-reported payroll errors to the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) in 2021. These errors occurred during a transition to a new human resources and payroll system. Between 2010 and 2021, over 3,591 current and former employees in NSW and the ACT, including full-time, part-time, and casual staff in nursing and management roles, were underpaid. The underpayments stemmed from incorrect system setup and pay rules, impacting entitlements outlined in enterprise agreements. RSL LifeCare has back-paid more than $5.1 million.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Quickpoint Pty Ltd, formerly operating a café called 'Shimizu Harbour Town' in Perth, and its sole director, Augustine Lawrence Chia, have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after receiving a request for assistance from a worker. Quickpoint and Mr Chia admitted to breaching record-keeping and pay slip laws by falsifying wage records and providing them to the Fair Work Ombudsman during an investigation. They pressured two employees to support their deception by claiming they were paid award rates, despite only receiving $15 to $16 per hour.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has received over 90,000 anonymous tip-offs since 2016, with nearly 13,000 in 2021-22. These reports help the FWO monitor workplaces and create education resources. One cupcake business was reported for paying staff between $10 and $16 per hour, failing to provide penalty rates, and not issuing pay slips. Another involved multiple employees of a café chain reporting wage underpayments. The reports included Australian Business Numbers (ABN) and business owner names, linking workers from different locations.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Designer Projects Victoria Pty Ltd, trading as ‘Designer Projects’ in Melton, and one of its directors, Visna Thanthrige, have been penalised by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This followed a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation into underpayment of entitlements and failure to provide pay slips to a construction site supervisor employed between July 2019 and September 2021. A Compliance Notice was issued in November 2021, which the company failed to follow.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman secured a penalty against 85 Degrees Coffee Australia Pty Ltd, which operates cafes and factories in Sydney. The company exploited eight Taiwanese students between July 2016 and June 2017. The students, aged 20 to 22, were brought to Australia under an internship arrangement with a Taiwan-based company linked to 85 Degrees. They were paid between $1,650 and $1,750 per month for working 60 to 70 hours per week. Each student was underpaid between $50,213 and $58,248. The students worked in factories and cafes in St Peters, Hurstville, and Sydney CBD. They were studying at the Taipei City University of Science and Technology.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against NQ Powertrain Pty Ltd, a labour-hire company based in Far North Queensland. The company allegedly underpaid 87 visa holders employed under the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) and Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) a total of $49,933 between December 2018 and May 2020. The alleged underpayments include unlawful deductions for accommodation and transport costs, as well as failing to pay correct Sunday overtime rates, time-off-in-lieu entitlements, and minimum-engagement pay. The workers, from countries including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands, performed farm work near Cairns. NQ Powertrain has rectified the alleged underpayments. The company ceased trading earlier this year.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Avant-Garde Logistics Solutions Pty Ltd, trading as Apex Logistics, and its former director Yaping Li have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. This followed a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation into underpayment of four workers, including a 19-year-old and a visa holder. The workers were employed as general hands and a driver between September 2020 and March 2021. The company failed to comply with Compliance Notices requiring back-payment of entitlements. The Fair Work Ombudsman received requests for assistance from the affected workers.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 77 businesses in Brisbane food precincts, including Brisbane CBD, South Brisbane, Fortitude Valley, and Sunnybank. The investigation found 75% of businesses breached workplace laws. A total of 623 underpaid workers were identified, with $404,721 in wages recovered. Common breaches included failing to pay penalty rates or casual loading, underpaying the minimum hourly rate, and failing to provide proper payslips. The largest recovery from a single business was $80,258 for 68 employees.
Fair Work Ombudsman
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.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Seqwater, the South East Queensland water supplier and a Queensland Government statutory authority, signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman and is back-paying staff more than $7 million. The FWO started investigating in 2020 after underpayment allegations appeared in the media. Hundreds of Seqwater employees were underpaid entitlements under the organisation's enterprise agreements over many years. Many were underpaid because Seqwater incorrectly decided it did not have to provide them with EA entitlements, on the basis they were on individual contracts. Payroll system errors and process issues also caused underpayments. Most of the underpayments relate to overtime pay. Affected staff worked across Brisbane and South East Queensland.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Adept Trolly Collection Services Pty Ltd, operating at Kmart sites in Launceston, Burnie, and Devonport in Tasmania, and its sole director, Ahlam Osman, have been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. The company failed to comply with a Compliance Notice regarding back-payments to five trolley collectors employed between June 2017 and April 2018. A worker initially requested assistance from the Fair Work Ombudsman, leading to the investigation.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman is conducting surprise inspections of approximately 30 restaurants, cafes, and fast food outlets in Melbourne's inner west, including Footscray, West Footscray, Seddon, Yarraville, Newport, and Williamstown. These inspections are part of a national food precincts program and focus on compliance with workplace laws, particularly concerning employers of visa holders. The inspections involve speaking with business owners, managers, and employees, and reviewing records. This action follows reports suggesting potential breaches of workplace laws.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated 48 businesses in Darwin food precincts, including Darwin City, Casuarina, and Palmerston City. The investigation found 76% of businesses were non-compliant with workplace laws. Many businesses employed visa holders. The investigation focused on businesses with a history of non-compliance, anonymous tip-offs, or employing vulnerable workers. A total of 479 employees were underpaid, with $393,453 recovered in wages.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Community Living & Respite Services Inc (CLRS), a disability services provider operating in Echuca and Moama, New South Wales and Victoria, underpaid employees between 2015 and 2021. The underpayments occurred because CLRS failed to correctly implement an Equal Remuneration Order from 2012, which increased minimum wages in the social and disability services sector. CLRS self-reported the non-compliance to the Fair Work Ombudsman in 2021. The affected employees were primarily disability and aged care workers, including full-time, part-time, and casual staff. A total of 391 current and former employees were impacted.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The University of Newcastle (UON) and Charles Sturt University (CSU) have agreed to back-pay staff a total of approximately $9.4 million due to underpayments. UON admitted to underpaying 7,595 employees between 2014 and 2020, totaling $6.27 million. CSU admitted to underpaying 2,526 casuals between 2015 and 2022, totaling $3.24 million. Both universities self-reported the issues and are cooperating with the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against The University of Melbourne. The University allegedly coerced and took adverse action against two casual academics to prevent them from claiming payment for work performed. One academic was not offered further teaching work after requesting payment for extra hours and making complaints. A supervisor allegedly threatened not to re-employ the academics if they claimed outside their contracted hours. The academics were engaged on short-term casual teaching contracts since at least 2016 and 2017. The alleged incidents occurred in August 2020 and February 2021.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Silver Chain Group Limited, a national not-for-profit community health and aged services organisation, signed an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman after back-paying Western Australian staff more than $17 million. Silver Chain self-reported in 2020 after identifying underpayments in a review triggered by employee concerns. Between 2013 and 2021, WA employees were underpaid entitlements set out in the Silver Chain Group Limited National (Non-Nursing) Enterprise Agreement 2017 and its 2014 and 2009 predecessors. Most affected staff were part-time care aides, home help and therapy assistants across Perth and regional WA.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Delishesco Pty Ltd, which operates 'Moga Izakaya & Sushi' in Paddington, Brisbane, and its sole director Yinan Yang, deliberately underpaid 34 employees between December 2018 and March 2019. The employees, many of whom were visa holders from China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand, were paid as little as $16 an hour. The company falsified records during a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation. One worker contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman alleging underpayment.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Jenny Global Pty Ltd, formerly operating the Dae Bark Mart grocery store in Melbourne, has been penalized by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. A South Korean worker on a working holiday visa was employed as a retail assistant from January to May 2020. He was paid between $12 and $16 per hour, plus small cash payments, and did not receive payslips. The company also had previous links to Jenni International Pty Ltd and a former director, Jordan Shan, who were previously penalized for underpayments.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Riddhi Siddhi Pty Ltd, which operates a fast food outlet and commercial kitchen in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, and its director, Ruchika Sharma. A Nepalese visa holder, employed as a casual kitchenhand from April 2018 to August 2019, requested assistance. The investigation revealed that Riddhi Siddhi made false records and provided them to Fair Work Inspectors. They also provided false payslips to an employee and failed to comply with a Compliance Notice. The worker was paid between $11 and $13 an hour and worked up to 66 hours per week. The company back-paid the worker $59,400 plus interest and superannuation after legal action commenced.
Fair Work Commission
The Fair Work Commission is Australia's national workplace relations tribunal.
Federal Court of Australia
The Federal Court of Australia is a superior court of record.
Federal Circuit & Family Court of Australia
The Federal Circuit & Family Court of Australia (Division 2) hears the bulk of small-claim and mid-tier employment matters in the federal jurisdiction.