High rates of Fair Work non-compliance in Queensland take-away outlets
Random audits by the Fair Work Ombudsman have revealed that more than one-quarter of non-franchised take-away outlets in Queensland food courts are not complying with workplace laws.
Fair Work is the government agency responsible for Australia’s workplace rights and rules, including awards and employment standards.
Fair Work checked the record-keeping, pay-slip practices and minimum pay rates of 128 food court businesses in Queensland in the past year, following a rise in complaints from workers at food courts in Brisbane.
Fair Work Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson said that of 128 audits finalised so far, 94 employers (73 per cent) were found to be compliant.
“Thirty-four of the non-franchise take-away food outlets recorded breaches, with 26 of them being asked to repay a total of $45,257 in underpaid wages and entitlements to a total of 177 staff,” said the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Strangely the media release from the Fair Work Ombudsman about the above poor results was entitled, ‘Strong pass rate for take-away outlets in Queensland food courts’, as at 26 July 2011!
