Bendigo workers back-paid $76,000

Four workers at Bendigo in Central Victoria have been back-paid $76,000 following recent intervention by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

The largest recovery was $54,700 for a warehouse worker.

The 41-year-old male employee lodged a complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman after he was underpaid the minimum hourly rate between 2006 and 2011.

After a Fair Work inspector contacted the business and explained its obligations, the employee was reimbursed all the money owed without the need for further action against the employer.

Other recent recoveries include:

• $11,000 for an administration worker underpaid the minimum hourly rate for five years,
• $5200 for a truck driver underpaid the minimum hourly rate, penalty rates and allowances, and
• $5100 for a chef underpaid annual leave and carer’s leave entitlements.

Fair Work Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson says that when Fair Work inspectors identify a problem and contact a business, most employers check their records, realise a problem has occurred and fix it immediately.

“We have a flexible, fair approach and our preference is always to work with employers to help them voluntarily rectify any non-compliance issues we identify,” Mr Wilson said.

“All businesses involved have now corrected the errors that led to the underpayments and put processes in place to ensure they will not happen again.”

The Fair Work Ombudsman recovered a total of $6.082 million in back-pay for 5142 underpaid workers in Victoria last financial year.

Nationally, between July 1, 2009 and March 31, 2012 the Agency recovered a total of $78 million for 47,857 underpaid workers.
       
The Fair Work Ombudsman is helping to make compliance with workplace laws easier by:

• Providing a range of free, easy-to-use tools and resources on its website - www.fairwork.gov.au - accessible 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week.
• Assisting employers and employees who call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94  with advice, information and assistance about their workplace rights and obligations.
• Giving practical advice to employers who are the subject of complaints from employees about how to resolve issues and operate at best practice.

Follow the Fair Work Ombudsman on Twitter @fairwork_gov_au or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fairwork.gov.au.

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman, 8 June 2012