Melbourne: A car restore enterprise operator in Australia has been fined AU$30,000 for not paying back-pay entitlements to a employee from India, the court docket stated.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed the penalty in opposition to Bhangu Pty Ltd., which operates a enterprise buying and selling as Rehaan Automotive Care, based mostly in Archerfield, a suburb within the metropolis of Brisbane.

The penalty was imposed final week in response to Bhangu Pty Ltd. failing to adjust to a compliance discover by Australian regulatory authority Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).

The FWO discover required the corporate to calculate and back-pay entitlements to a visa-holder employee from India, who was employed as a full-time motor mechanic between February 2017 and February 2018.

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker stated in an announcement that enterprise operators that fail to behave on compliance notices should be conscious they’ll face penalties in court docket on prime of getting to back-pay staff.

“When compliance notices are not followed, we are prepared to take legal action to ensure workers receive their lawful entitlements,” Parker added.

“Employers should also be aware that taking action to protect vulnerable employees, such as migrant workers, is a priority for the agency. Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance,” she stated in an FWO assertion.

The FWO investigated after receiving a request for help from the Indian employee and issued compliance discover to Bhangu Pty Ltd. in September 2021.

It discovered that the employee had been underpaid minimal wages and annual go away entitlements, owed below the Vehicle Manufacturing, Repair, Services and Retail Award and the Fair Work Act’s National Employment Standards.

Thereafter, it secured a $30,000 penalty in court docket in opposition to the operator of the car restore and upkeep enterprise in Brisbane.

The court docket has additionally ordered the corporate to take the steps required by the FWO compliance discover, which incorporates back-paying the employee in full, plus superannuation and curiosity.