Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94
Media Release
27 Oct 2010
Toowoomba inspectors recover $700,000 for
underpaid workers in South-West
The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Toowoomba regional office recovered more than
$700,000 in back-pay for 665 workers last financial year.
The amount forms part of a total of $4.25 million recouped for 3749 underpaid
Queensland employees in 2009-10.
Fair Work inspectors discovered the underpayments through a combination of
routine audits of businesses and investigations into workers’ complaints.
Recent significant recoveries in the South-West include:
$60,000 for four Gatton workers in the waste management industry
underpaid the minimum hourly rate and penalty rates,
$14,400 for a worker in the Toowoomba fitness industry underpaid the
minimum hourly rate and termination entitlements,
$13,100 for a Toowoomba manager underpaid accrued annual leave and
long service leave,
$7300 for a Gatton accountant not paid annual leave or long service
leave,
$5600 for a driver at a Warwick transport company underpaid penalty
rates,
$5100 for a Warwick delivery driver underpaid the minimum hourly rate
and not paid for all hours worked,
$5100 for a Charleville bar attendant underpaid overtime and penalty
rates,
$4900 for a Western Downs baker underpaid annual leave entitlements,
$2900 for a Toowoomba food and beverage attendant underpaid the
minimum hourly rate, and
$2700 for Toowoomba a truck driver underpaid the hourly rate, penalty
rates and annual leave entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says the recoveries
highlight the need for employers to understand their obligations to staff, including
applicable wages rates and conditions.
“In most cases, the Fair Work Ombudsman does not prosecute employers for
inadvertent breaches of workplace law,” Mr Campbell said.
“We have a flexible, fair approach and our preference is always to work with
employers to educate them and help them voluntarily rectify any non-compliance
issues we identify.”
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Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94
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The Fair Work Ombudsman has a number of tools and user-friendly resources on
check minimum rates of pay.
Small to medium-sized businesses without human resources staff can also ensure
they are better equipped when hiring, managing and dismissing employees by
using free template employment documentation available online.
The ‘Industries’ section on the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website provides
information specifically tailored for employers and workers in the retail, cleaning,
clerical, hair and beauty, security and horticulture industries.
A series of Best Practice Guides have also been developed by the Fair Work
Ombudsman to assist employers make better use of the provisions of the Fair
Work Act and better understand other aspects of workplace laws.
The guides cover work and family, consultation and co-operation, individual
flexibility arrangements, employing young workers, gender pay equity, small
business, workplace privacy, managing underperformance, effective dispute
resolution and improving workplace productivity in bargaining.
Employers or employees seeking assistance or further information can also
contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 from 8am-6pm weekdays. For
translations, call 13 14 50.
The Toowoomba-based inspectors cover a large part of South-West Queensland
including the Lockyer Valley, Brisbane Valley, Warwick and Dalby regions as well
as all areas from Roma south and west to the NT border.
Note: We are unable to provide additional information on the case listed above.
Media inquiries:
Richard Honey, Media Adviser, 0457 924 146, richard.honey@fwo.gov.au
NEWS 
