200 Ipswich businesses to face wage audits

The Fair Work Ombudsman is auditing 200 businesses in Queensland’s Ipswich region as part of a new proactive compliance and education campaign.

Campaign finds little awareness of pay rates for clothing manufacturing workers

The Fair Work Ombudsman is auditing hundreds of businesses nationally after finding a lack of awareness of the minimum pay rates that apply to workers who make clothes, bags and footwear in factories and their homes.

Farmer paid no overtime to backpackers who worked two months without a day off

The operators of a remote beef cattle farm in Queensland have been penalised a total of $130,000 after failing to pay overtime entitlements to overseas backpackers who worked more than two months straight, without a day off.

Sydney fast food operator penalised for underpaying Korean employees $111,000

The operators of a chain of fast food sandwich outlets in Sydney have been penalised a total of $87,040 for exploiting overseas workers and using false records.

Shine comes off labour-hire firm who underpaid migrant workforce $22,000

A labour-hire business in Perth has back-paid 19 employees – mostly migrant workers – more than $22,000 and agreed to revamp its workplace practices, following intervention by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Worker received $9 an hour because of perceived reduced work capacity

The Fair Work Ombudsman has assisted a former employee of a seafood processing business in Box Hill, Victoria to recover $85,000 in unpaid entitlements.

Fair Work Inspectors hit Fortitude Valley eateries with unannounced audits

The Fair Work Ombudsman has this week conducted a series of surprise visits to restaurants, bars and cafes in a popular casual dining precinct in Brisbane to check compliance with workplace laws.

Brisbane Coffee Club franchisee faces Court over alleged unlawful cash-back payment

A Coffee Club café franchisee in Brisbane is facing Court for allegedly requiring an overseas worker to repay $18,000 of his wages by threatening to cancel his 457 skilled worker visa if he refused.

New supply chain guides to help businesses avoid contracting risks

New tools to help prevent the exploitation of workers in contracted labour supply chains have been launched today by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Low penalties mean workers pay for dodgy record keeping

Low penalties are creating an incentive for unprincipled employers to breach record keeping laws, according to Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James.