Pay payback

NINE administration workers from a Noble Park company collected almost $50,000 in lost wages after the Fair Work Ombudsman found they were underpaid.
Inspectors discovered the employees had been inadvertently short-changed for overtime and weekend penalty rates.
After discussion with Fair Work inspectors, the employer, who cannot be named, voluntarily back-paid the staff a total of $48,250 – an average of $5360 each.
The case is one of four recently finalised on behalf of workers in the Dandenong area.
A total of $6920 was paid to a clerk from a Dandenong business because of underpaid redundancy entitlements and a total of $5020 was paid to a Dandenong production worker because of underpaid redundancy entitlements.
A Dandenong tradesperson with underpaid annual leave entitlements received $6000.
Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell said many underpayments were the result of a lack of understanding by employers of their legal obligations, including applicable Awards and pay-scales.
“That’s why the Fair Work Ombudsman places such a strong focus on educating employers and assisting them to understand and comply with workplace laws,” he said.
Mr Campbell said in most cases, the Fair Work Ombudsman does not prosecute employers for inadvertent breaches of workplace laws but said employers need to be aware that they could face fines of up to $33,000 per breach if matters were taken to court.
Employers and employees seeking up-to-date information on wage rates and conditions can visit www.fwo.gov.au or contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. Translations are available by calling 13 14 50.
Eleven best practice guides are on the website and cover work and family, consultation and co-operation, individual flexibility arrangements, employing young workers, gender pay equity, small business, workplace privacy, managing underperformance, effective dispute resolution and improving workplace productivity in bargaining.