6 February 2026

The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured a total of $112,985 in penalties against the former operators of three Cash Converters stores in Melbourne.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed a total of $94,175 in penalties against SNNB Enterprises Pty Ltd ($49,500), Taylors Business Pty Ltd ($24,875) and Yarraville Business Pty Ltd ($19,800), which operated Cash Converters stores at Epping, Delahey and Yarraville, respectively.

In addition, the sole director of the three companies, Graeme Grainger, was penalised $18,810.

The penalties were imposed in response to the companies’ deliberate failure to comply with Compliance Notices requiring them to calculate and back-pay seven full-time workers’ entitlements. Mr Grainger was involved in the contraventions.

The combined amount the companies were required to pay the workers to comply with the Compliance Notices was $58,605, with required payments to individual workers ranging from $2,972 to $16,833.

The court also ordered the companies to comply with the Compliance Notices, including rectifying any outstanding entitlements, plus interest.

The three stores have now closed.

It was the second time the Fair Work Ombudsman has taken legal action against Yarraville Business Pty Ltd. The company was penalised $16,000 in court in 2024 for also failing to comply with a Compliance Notice which required it to calculate and back-pay entitlements to a worker.

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said employers that failed to act on Compliance Notices should be well aware that they could face court-imposed penalties on top of having to comply with the Compliance Notice.

“When Compliance Notices are not followed, we will continue to take legal action to protect workers’ rights,” Ms Booth said.

“The amount the companies were required to pay to workers to comply with the Compliance Notices was significant, but the total penalties in this case are now more than double that amount - sending a clear message that failure to comply has serious consequences.

“Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free assistance.”

The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated the matter after receiving requests for assistance from the affected workers.

Fair Work Inspectors issued the companies with Compliance Notices between November 2022 and February 2023 after forming a belief they had underpaid the seven affected workers, who had been engaged as store managers, retail employees and shop assistants.

The inspectors formed a belief the companies had failed to pay the workers’ accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements at the end of their employment, and had underpaid five of the workers’ minimum wages for work performed during 2022.

The annual leave entitlements were owed under the Fair Work Act’s National Employment Standards, and minimum wages under the General Retail Industry Award 2020.

In her judgement, Judge Heather Riley found that the failure to comply with the Compliance Notices was “deliberate” and she said that regardless of a company’s size employers needed to comply with Compliance Notices.

“It is important that there be a message sent to businesses in general and small retail businesses in particular that Compliance Notices are serious and must be complied with,” Judge Riley said.

“[The employers] were well aware of the Compliance Notice and the relevant time frames. The Ombudsman made repeated attempts to communicate with [the operators] and encouraged their compliance.”

Judge Riley said assertions by Mr Grainger that if he had his time again he would do things differently did not amount to a “genuine or heartfelt expression of remorse … they were just an opportunistic and formulaic use of words”.

Employers and employees can visit www.fairwork.gov.au or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for free advice and assistance. An interpreter service is available on 13 14 50. Employees can also seek information from their employer or their union, if they are a union member.

Employers can seek information from their employer association if they are a member, and also use the FWO’s pay calculator and Small Business Showcase.

The FWO provides a free online course to help employers understand what a Compliance Notice is and how to respond if they get one. The Compliance Notice course, among a suite of free interactive courses on offer for employers, managers and employees, is available in our online learning centre.