Today leading restaurateurs met in Sydney to discuss the impact of proposed Award Modernisation laws, which would see the federal hotels award apply to restaurants. The meeting, which included prominent industry leaders like Peter Doyle (Peter Doyle at the Quay), Matt Moran (Aria), Con Dedes (Flying Fish), Tonci Farak (Wildfire), Tony Bilson (Bilson’s) and Brien Trippas (AIH), was convened to discuss the way forward for the industry. The group decided that the highest priority is halting the... ...Read more »

A fast-food franchise in Perth’s CBD has been forced to back-pay many of its teenage workers $50,000 following investigations by the Federal Workplace Ombudsman. Workplace Ombudsman Western Australian Director Leigh Quealy advised that, after checking employment records, inspectors discovered 33 young staff had been short-changed an average $1500 each. He says his office is now considering legal action against the franchise, part of a national take-away food chain. Mr Quealy revealed the underpayments... ...Read more »

The Federal Workplace Ombudsman is concerned that large numbers of young people and migrant workers might be being short-changed by fast-food employers. “The preliminary findings of random audits of the fast-food sector suggest there is a lack of awareness among employers of their workplace obligations,” State Director Leigh Quealy said. Mr Quealy advised that almost half of the 120 employers scrutinised by his inspectors so far were failing to comply with workplace laws. The Western... ...Read more »

Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s largest retailer, has announced the settlement of 63 wage and hour class action lawsuits that have been pending against the company for several years.Each of the settlements is subject to approval by the trial court, and the total amount to be paid will depend on the amount of claims that are submitted by class members. Under the agreements, the total will be at least $352 million, but no more than $640 million. Also, as part of the settlements, Wal-Mart has agreed... ...Read more »

Staff at a popular confectionery wholesaler in Sydney’s western suburbs have got a little bit extra to spend this month after an investigation by the national pay protector.A random audit of the unnamed company by the Federal Workplace Ombudsman has found four staff had been underpaid for the past five years. After calculations by workplace inspectors, the workers will share back-payments totalling $15,300, or an average of $3825 each. Workplace Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell... ...Read more »

Perth’s Shimizu Japanese restaurants face court action after workplace inspectors found they had allegedly underpaid more than 60 workers.The Federal Workplace Ombudsman is taking action in the Federal Magistrates Court against Golden Maple Pty Ltd, which operates the Shimizu restaurants, CityTeam Pty Ltd, which employed workers at the restaurants, and Lawrence Chia, a director of both companies. Workplace Ombudsman WA state director Leigh Quealy said investigations by his office found that... ...Read more »

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, has advised that the minimum wage will increase from today.The decision by the Australian Fair Pay Commission earlier this year increases adult rates of pay in Australian Pay and Classification Scales (Pay Scales) by approximately $21.66 per week. From today, the new Federal Minimum Wage is $543.78 per week ($14.31 per hour) up from $522.12 per week ($13.74 per hour). The increases will flow on to minimum rates of pay for junior... ...Read more »

The Federal Workplace Ombudsman has announced a national campaign targeting the hospitality industry. Hotels, restaurants, taverns, bars and clubs throughout Australia will be randomly audited to ensure workers are being properly paid, with the three-month long campaign to begin next week. Workplace inspectors in all states and territories will be checking to ensure compliance with: • Rates of pay (including casual rates and minimum rates) • Penalty loadings (weekend, late nights) • Allowances •... ...Read more »

Less than half the restaurants and cafes in central and northern Queensland are complying with workplace laws, a targeted campaign by the federal Workplace Ombudsman has revealed.More than 270 workers have been reimbursed almost $97,000 after random audits found they were being underpaid, with one business required to back-pay 54 staff $21,000. Workplace inspectors have been checking the books of 151 restaurants, cafes and caterers following suspicions that workers may not be getting their full entitlements. Investigations... ...Read more »

A company which underpaid and bullied disabled workers hired to collect supermarket trolleys has been fined $120,000.Federal Magistrate Philip Burchardt says the company – Xidis Pty Ltd, trading as Effective Supermarket Services – used deliberate tactics to “intimidate” its workforce in the NSW border town of Albury. Magistrate Burchardt found that the sole director and shareholder, Nick Iksidis, “exploited vulnerable employees”. “Mr Iksidis chose a workforce... ...Read more »