Construction company penalised $30,000 for ripping off apprentice
A construction company has been penalised $30,000 for failing to pay an apprentice his proper leave entitlements.
The company ignored a Compliance Notice issued by the Fair Work Ombudsman requiring it to back-pay the worker in full.
Construction company penalised
The Federal Circuit and Family Court penalised Design Wolf Solutions Pty Ltd, which has also traded as Designwolf Building Solutions, $25,000.
The court also penalised company director Brenton Bound an additional $5,000.
Fair Work commenced an investigation into the company as a result of a wage theft complaint from the 23 year-old apprentice.
An inspector subsequently issued Design Wolf Solutions with a Compliance Notice requiring it to calculate and back-pay entitlements owed to the apprentice builder.
It failed to do so, however.
Failure to engage
Judge Salvatore Vasta found Design Wolf Solutions and Mr Bound completely failed to engage with Fair Work to resolve the matter.
“The behaviour of both respondents has been to treat the Compliance Notice with utter contempt,” Judge Vasta said.
In imposing the penalties, Judge Vasta said:
“Deterrence will only be met if there are meaningful consequences for the behaviour exhibited by the respondents.”
In addition to the penalties, the court ordered Design Wolf Solutions to back-pay the worker’s outstanding entitlements, plus interest.
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Apprentices vulnerable to exploitation
Meanwhile, industrial advocate Miles Heffernan said young apprentices are particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
“Apprentices are typically young and may not know their workplace rights or have the confidence to speak up if something is wrong with their wages and conditions,” he said.
“They’re also keen to to break into a trade and become successful, and therefore, will think it best to put up with poor treatment while they earn their apprenticeship.”
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