Specialised food retailers focus of new campaign in NSW and ACT
The Fair Work Ombudsman will audit up to 250 specialised food retailers in NSW and ACT over the next five months as part of a new education and compliance campaign.
The campaign will focus on meat, fish, poultry, fruit and vegetable, liquor and other specialised food retailers.
Fair Work inspectors will check employers are paying workers in-line with minimum wage rates, penalty rates and overtime.
Inspectors will also check employers are complying with record-keeping and pay slip obligations.
Inspectors will advise employers about the range of user-friendly resources the Fair Work Ombudsman has available at www.fairwork.gov.au/specialisedfoodretailing to assist specialised food retailers to understand and comply with workplace laws.
Fair Work inspectors will select businesses in Sydney, Canberra, Albury, Armidale, Ballina, Batemans Bay, Bathurst, Bega, Bourke, Bowral, Broken Hill, Byron Bay, Cessnock, Cobar, Coffs Harbour, Cooma, Cootamundra, Cowra, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Eden, Forbes, Forster, Gosford, Goulburn, Grafton, Griffith, Gunnedah, Hay, Katoomba, Kempsey, Kiama, Lismore, Lithgow, Maitland, Merimbula, Moree, Moruya, Mudgee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Heads, Narooma, Narrabri, Newcastle, Nowra, Orange, Parkes, Port Macquarie, Queanbeyan, Scone, Singleton, Tamworth, Taree, Tumut, Tweed Heads, Ulladulla, Wagga Wagga, Walgett, West Wyalong, Wollongong, Woy Woy, Yamba, Yass and Young.
Fair Work Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson says the specialised food retailing industry has been selected for proactive auditing because it has been a persistent source of underpayment complaints in recent years.
“This campaign is an ideal opportunity for specialised food retailers in NSW and the ACT to ensure they understand their obligations under workplace laws,” Mr Wilson says.
“It is important we ensure that employers are aware of their obligations and that employees are receiving their full lawful entitlements.”
Mr Wilson says in cases where contraventions are identified, the preference is always for inspectors to assist employers to voluntarily rectify non-compliance issues.
“We are committed to providing free education, assistance and advice to make it easier for employers to comply with workplace laws,” Mr Wilson says.
The website has a number of tools and resources, including PayCheck Plus and an Award Finder, to assist business-owners to calculate the correct pay for their employees.
PayCheck Plus calculates minimum rates of pay per hour, per shift or per week and takes account of payments for overtime, penalty rates and allowances.
An ‘Industries’ section on the website provides extra, specialised information for employers and employees in the retail, cleaning, clerical, road transport, hair and beauty, security, vehicle, social and community services, horticulture, metal manufacturing, fast food and hospitality industries.
Free documentation is available online for employers to use when hiring, managing and dismissing staff, including letters of engagement and probation, timesheet and pay slip templates, leave application forms and a self-audit check list.
The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a single point of contact for people working or running a business in Australia to get accurate and timely information about their workplace rights and obligations.
Workers or employers seeking support should get in touch with the Fair Work Ombudsman via the website www.fairwork.gov.au or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman, 10 October 2012
