[Australia] $217,000 recovered for Cairns food outlet workers

In Australia, the Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered $217,806 for 209 underpaid food outlet employees in Cairns, after it made surprise inspections, Fair Work Ombudsman reports.

Fair Work Inspectors investigated 35 businesses in Cairns’ fast food, restaurants and cafés sector; primarily targeting ‘cheap eats’ venues in Cairns City, Cairns North, Palm Cove and Trinity Beach. 

Businesses were reportedly pinpointed for investigation based on FWO intelligence from a range of sources, including anonymous reports.

Of 31 finalised investigations, the FWO found 23 businesses (74 per cent) had breached workplace laws. The most common breaches were a failure to pay various penalty rates (21 businesses), underpaying minimum wages (11 businesses) and failing to pay the right allowances (9 businesses).

Anna Booth - Fair Work Ombudsman - said improving compliance in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector was an ongoing priority for the regulator.

“These disappointing Cairns findings are part of a national food precincts program where we’ve often found that low-cost dining comes at the expense of workers’ lawful wages,” Ms Booth said.

“Employers must follow all wage laws, including penalty rates which generally serve as compensation for those working at times when most people are not. Those doing the wrong thing are being found out and held to account.

“Employers should access our wide range of free online tools and resources to ensure they’re meeting their obligations, or contact the FWO directly for free advice. We want to help businesses in the food sector get it right in the first place.

“We also urge workers with concerns about wages and entitlements to reach out to us - including anonymously if preferred.”

The largest amount recovered from any single business was reportedly $46,576 for six restaurant employees, including cooks, kitchen hands and bar attendants. The workers were found to have been underpaid penalty rates, given outdated rates of pay resulting in underpaid minimum rates and missed out on overtime pay.

After concluding its investigations, the FWO issued 23 Compliance Notices, recovering the $217,806 for the 209 workers.

Eleven Infringement Notices for pay slip and record-keeping breaches also resulted in $12,895 in fines paid.

Investigations into four further businesses continue.

More than $1.15 million has reportedly been back-paid to about 2,000 Queensland workers in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector following FWO food precincts inspections in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Cairns amid an ongoing national program of audits.

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman

(Quotes via original reporting)

In Australia, the Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered $217,806 for 209 underpaid food outlet employees in Cairns, after it made surprise inspections, Fair Work Ombudsman reports.

Fair Work Inspectors investigated 35 businesses in Cairns’ fast food, restaurants and cafés sector; primarily targeting ‘cheap eats’ venues in Cairns City, Cairns North, Palm Cove and Trinity Beach. 

Businesses were reportedly pinpointed for investigation based on FWO intelligence from a range of sources, including anonymous reports.

Of 31 finalised investigations, the FWO found 23 businesses (74 per cent) had breached workplace laws. The most common breaches were a failure to pay various penalty rates (21 businesses), underpaying minimum wages (11 businesses) and failing to pay the right allowances (9 businesses).

Anna Booth - Fair Work Ombudsman - said improving compliance in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector was an ongoing priority for the regulator.

“These disappointing Cairns findings are part of a national food precincts program where we’ve often found that low-cost dining comes at the expense of workers’ lawful wages,” Ms Booth said.

“Employers must follow all wage laws, including penalty rates which generally serve as compensation for those working at times when most people are not. Those doing the wrong thing are being found out and held to account.

“Employers should access our wide range of free online tools and resources to ensure they’re meeting their obligations, or contact the FWO directly for free advice. We want to help businesses in the food sector get it right in the first place.

“We also urge workers with concerns about wages and entitlements to reach out to us - including anonymously if preferred.”

The largest amount recovered from any single business was reportedly $46,576 for six restaurant employees, including cooks, kitchen hands and bar attendants. The workers were found to have been underpaid penalty rates, given outdated rates of pay resulting in underpaid minimum rates and missed out on overtime pay.

After concluding its investigations, the FWO issued 23 Compliance Notices, recovering the $217,806 for the 209 workers.

Eleven Infringement Notices for pay slip and record-keeping breaches also resulted in $12,895 in fines paid.

Investigations into four further businesses continue.

More than $1.15 million has reportedly been back-paid to about 2,000 Queensland workers in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector following FWO food precincts inspections in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Cairns amid an ongoing national program of audits.

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman

(Quotes via original reporting)