FWO’s Food Precincts campaign returns $471,904 in wages owed to hospitality workers

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s audit of three popular food destinations has recovered $471,904 for 616 workers, after the FWO found that 72 per cent of the 243 businesses audited had breached workplace laws.

$130,000 penalties after nail salon engages in “elaborate sham” to hide exploitation

The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured a total of $130,000 in penalties against the operators of an Adelaide nail salon for exploiting two young, migrant workers and creating false records as part of an “elaborate sham” to try to cover it up.

Building a culture of compliance in the restaurant sector through partnership between FWO and La Porchetta

A Compliance Partnership between La Porchetta Franchising Pty Ltd (La Porchetta) and the Fair Work Ombudsman has demonstrated the effectiveness of close engagement with the regulator in promoting a culture of compliance throughout a franchise network.

Hair and beauty salon commits to change after underpaying overseas workers more than $25,000

A Sydney hair and beauty salon operator has back-paid seven workers more than $25,000 and will overhaul its workplace practices, under the terms of an Enforceable Undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Perth labour supply business faces Court for alleged building site underpayments

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against a labour supply company in Perth, alleging it misclassified young labourers as independent contractors, when they were in fact employees, and underpaid them thousands of dollars.

New minimum wage takes effect from Sunday

The Fair Work Ombudsman is calling on businesses to check the new minimum pay rates that apply ahead of a new national minimum wage coming into effect from the first pay period on or after Sunday, 1 July 2018.

Almost $100k in penalties after Caltex franchisee falsified wage records

Penalties of almost $100,000 against a former Caltex franchisee in Sydney for falsifying wage records send a message that serious consequences apply when fabricated records frustrate investigations, according to Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James.

Fair Work Ombudsman to work with local councils to improve management of security supply chains

The Fair Work Ombudsman has today released the findings of its Inquiry into the procurement of security services by local government, highlighting an opportunity for councils to work with the regulator to improve supply chain governance efforts.

CFMMEU penalised for unlawful industrial action

Legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman has resulted in the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) being penalised in Court for organising unlawful industrial action at shipping terminals in Sydney and Brisbane.

The Gig Economy: Navigating new ways to work

Opinion piece on the Gig Economy by Natalie James, Fair Work Ombudsman.