Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94
Media Release
25 Oct 2010
Wimmera-Mallee campaign results released
The Fair Work Ombudsman today released the results of random audits of
hairdressing salons in Victoria’s Wimmera-Mallee region.
Fair Work inspectors targeted salons in Boort, Donald, Hopetoun, Horsham,
Kerang and Mincha.
Salon operators were provided with educative materials about national workplace
laws, including Modern Awards and National Employment Standards.
Eight businesses were audited. Seven of these were found to be underpaying
some of their staff.
Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says inspectors
discovered nine employees had been underpaid a total of $6025.
They had been underpaid their minimum hourly rates, weekend and overtime
rates, allowances and annual leave pay.
Five of the seven salons also had record-keeping and/or pay slip contraventions.
Mr Campbell says it is pleasing that all employers co-operated with inspectors and
voluntarily reimbursed their staff.
“Inspectors assisted employers to put processes in place to ensure these
breaches are not repeated in future,” he said.
Mr Campbell says the high rate of non-compliance within a small sample of
businesses is a concern and the Fair Work Ombudsman will conduct further
educative and compliance activities in the Wimmera-Mallee region in future.
He says the campaign has helped increase awareness among both employers and
employees of the role of the Fair Work Ombudsman.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has a range of user-friendly resources on its website
Resources for small business include an industry specific web-page for the hair
and beauty sector, payslip and record-keeping templates, a self-audit checklist,
template letters and fact sheets on dozens of topics including leave, industrial
action, public holidays, enterprise bargaining, gender pay equality and family-
friendly workplaces.
As well as Online resources, the Fair Work Ombudsman has advisers available to
speak with employers and workers with questions on its Fair Work Infoline on 13
13 94 from 8am-6pm weekdays.
Media inquiries: Ryan Pedler, Senior Media Adviser, (03) 9954 2561, 0411 430 902.
ryan.pedler@fwo.gov.au
NEWS 
