Australian workplace law decisions — 2024
Every published Fair Work Commission, Federal Court, Federal Circuit & Family Court, and Fair Work Ombudsman decision from 2024 in our corpus, in plain English. Sorted by date.
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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.