Media releases

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against the operator of a Japanese restaurant on the Gold Coast, alleging his company paid overseas workers as little as $8 an hour and used false records to suggest he paid higher rates.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is urging horticulture businesses to be vigilant when engaging workers from labour-hire operators this harvest season by making themselves aware of the minimum rates of pay for casual pickers under the Horticulture Award.

A trolley collection subcontractor is facing Court for allegedly exploiting two migrant workers at Bendigo, in regional Victoria, and using false records to try to cover it up.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered $100,649 for ten seafarers from the Philippines who were underpaid while working in Australian waters.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered $23,432 for two workers in suburbs north-east of Melbourne.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has assisted three workers in suburbs west of Melbourne to recover more than $50,000.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched a second legal action against the owner-operator of a Melbourne childcare business, alleging she has again underpaid workers thousands of dollars in minimum entitlements.

A Melbourne restaurant has been hit with a $100,000 penalty after it “grossly exploited” a visa holder from Taiwan through underpayments worth more than $30,000 in less than nine months.

The FWO has recently signed up to a landmark new Equitable Briefing Policy launched by the Law Council of Australia. The policy is aimed at improving the briefing of women barristers across Australia.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against an IGA supermarket operator in Melbourne, alleging he underpaid employees as young as 19 and used false records to give to the FWO, despite being previously put on notice of his obligations to correctly pay employees and keep records.