The Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered almost $6,000 for a truck driver who did not receive correct penalty rates
A New South Wales truck driver was handed $5,800 after an Orange company failed to pay him correct penalty rates.
A recent Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) investigation found the driver was being underpaid the minimum hourly rate, overtime rates and annual leave entitlements between July 2012 and August 2013.
Ombudsman Natalie James says employers’ lack of awareness of the minimum pay rates and entitlements that apply is a common cause of underpayments.
Those who are not fully aware of the workplace laws that apply to their workplace are at much greater risk of inadvertently underpaying their employees, she adds.
“Running a business is a demanding job but it’s really important business owners are aware of which award or agreement applies to their staff, and that their staff are properly classified to the work they do and receive their full entitlements,” James says.
The driver was one of a number of workers across different sectors in regional NSW that were back-paid a total of $63,100 following the FWO’s investigations.
All employees were back-paid in full without the need for further action after inspectors contacted the employers and explained their obligations.
“We also assisted the employers to put processes in place to ensure they comply with workplace laws in the future,” James says.
“Our focus is on educating business owners by helping them understand their workplace obligations, and what’s what we did in these cases.”