Workers at a company that sells candles and gifts are receiving more than $2.3 million in back pay after they were underpaid.
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Dusk Australasia Pty Ltd, which has more than 100 retail outlets in Australia including in Launceston, Hobart and Rosny, self-reported the underpayments to the Fair Work Commission in June last year.
The Commission said the underpayments came to light after queries from employees who had a break of less than 12 hours between shifts.
The underpayments range from $4 to more than $26,000 and Dusk is also paying employees interest and superannuation in relation to the underpayments.
More than 1500 underpaid workers, in all states and territories, were primarily customer service staff, assistant store managers and store managers who worked at Dusk between 2013 and 2019.
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Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said Dusk had co-operated with the investigation and demonstrated a strong commitment to rectifying all underpayments.
"This matter demonstrates how important it is for employers to place a high priority on ensuring they are aware of every lawful entitlement they must pay their employees," Ms Parker said.
"The underpayment of just a single entitlement can result in a large-scale back-payment bill.
"Any employers who need help meeting their workplace obligations should contact the FWO for free advice and assistance."
Shop Distributive & Allied Employees Association Tasmanian secretary Paul Griffin said no Dusk staff were members of his union but workers needed to be aware of their conditions.
"Under the federal retail award you have to have a 12 hour break between shifts or 10 hours in some enterprise agreements," Mr Griffin said.
"Quite often retail workers are asked to work overtime or their rosters change and they need to make sure they are having the minimum break between shifts."
Under an Enforceable Undertaking signed by Dusk, the company must make a $45,000 contrition payment to the Commonwealth's Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Dusk also has to display media, social media and online notices detailing its workplace law breaches, apologise to workers and operate a hotline for 12 months for employees and provide evidence that it has developed systems and processes for ensuring compliance in future.