Fair Work Ombudsman recovers over $200k for underpaid Gold Coast workers

• Hundreds of Gold Coast employees pocket more than $200,000 combined after a Fair Work crackdown on workplace wage law breaches
• The Fair Work Ombudsman recovers the cash for 446 workers after an audit of 50 “cheap eats” food precincts found 44 breached workplace laws
• The businesses were chosen for the unannounced audit as part of a national program targeting cheap eats precincts in capital cities around Australia
• Fair Work says these businesses are more likely to hire younger and migrant workers who can be vulnerable to exploitation
• Along with the recovered pay for workers, Fair Work says it issued 12 infringement notices to businesses, resulting in fines worth almost $9300

Hundreds of Gold Coast employees have pocketed a combined total of more than $200,000 after a Fair Work crackdown on workplace wage law breaches.

The Fair Work Ombudsman said it had recovered $215,707 for 446 workers after auditing “cheap eats” food precincts in and around Southport and Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.

Of the 50 food establishments chosen for inspection, 88 per cent — or 44 businesses — were found to have failed to comply with workplace laws.

Of these, 34 businesses had underpaid their workers, while 18 had failed to meet pay slip and record-keeping requirements.

Fair Work said the most common breach of workplace laws was a failure to pay penalty rates, with 22 businesses found guilty. Eight businesses failed to pay minimum rates for ordinary hours.

The amount retrieved for underpaid employees ranges from $153 for some workers to over $20,000 in two cases.

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said the audits — which were unannounced — were part of a national program targeting cheap eats precincts in capital cities around Australia.

“Our intelligence-led activities have audited food precincts around the country because they commonly employ a high proportion of young and migrant workers who can be vulnerable to exploitation,” Ms Parker said.

“Protecting vulnerable workers such as visa holders and improving compliance in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector are ongoing priorities for the Fair Work Ombudsman.”

She said the 50 businesses audited along the Gold Coast were chosen based on their risk of non-compliance with workplace laws.

Thirty-five of these businesses employed migrant workers, while other assessed risk factors included a history of non-compliance with Fair Work rules and anonymous tip-offs to the Ombudsman.

Along with the $200,000 recovered for workers, Fair Work said it issued 12 infringement notices to businesses, resulting in just shy of $9300 in fines.

All non-compliant businesses were warned that any future workplace law breaches could lead to higher-level enforcement action by the ombudsman.

“We expect all employers to comply with workplace obligations and to use our range of free tools and resources if they need help,” the Fair Work Ombudsman said.

“Any workers with concerns about their wages should contact us.”