WARRAGUL CAFE WORKERS UNDERPAID ALMOST $9,000

Baw Baw Citizen — 13/11/17

Text: Will Watson

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SIX cafe workers in Warragul have been underpaid more than $8,000 after their wage status and award rate was incorrectly classified by their employer. 

The Fair Work Commission on Thursday found the cafe had underpaid the six workers, which included a teenager, incorrect hourly rates. This included underpayments of their weekend and public holiday hourly rates, together totalling $8,749.

Meanwhile, 13 employees in Leongatha were repaid just over $6000 in back pay after their employer failed to increase wage rates following an mandatory wage increase. 

In a media release, Acting Fair Work Ombudsman Kristen Hannah said the offending companies were on notice and that they would not be tolerating further breaches in workplace laws. 

“While these mistakes may be careless rather than malicious, the fact remains that there has never been more freely available information for employers than there is right now so there are no excuses for making these mistakes,” said Ms Hannah. 

Both businesses have now repaid their staff in full.

In the 2016/2017 financial year, the Fair Work Ombudsman recovered $30.6 million in unpaid wages for more than 17,000 workers.