Passenger transport company facing court over underpayments
A passenger transport company is facing court for allegedly underpaying drivers.
The company allegedly failed to comply with a Compliance Notice requiring it to back-pay amounts owing to five drivers.
Passenger transport company allegedly ripped off workers
Sydney-based passenger transport company Ambient Transport Pty Ltd is facing the Federal Circuit Court.
The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced an investigation as a result of wage theft complaints from drivers.
Inspectors subsequently issued the company with the Compliance Notice believing the company underpaid the workers.
In one case, Fair Work alleges the company failed to pay one driver any wages at all.
The regulator also alleges the company failed to comply with other workplace laws, for example, not paying drivers penalty rates for weekend, early morning, and night work.
Compliance Notices are not optional
Industrial advocate Miles Heffernan from Fair Work Claims said Compliance Notices are not optional.
“These notices are a chance for businesses to rectify underpayments before facing penalties,” he said.
“Employers who don’t take them seriously will find themselves in court facing hefty monetary penalties, and so they should.”
Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker says the regulator will not hesitate to enforce workplace laws.
“Where employers do not comply with a Compliance Notice, we will take appropriate action to protect employees.
“A court can then order them to pay penalties in addition to back-paying workers.”
The penalties
Ambient Transport faces a penalty of up to $31,500.
Additionally, Fair Work is seeking an order requiring Ambient Transport to comply with the Compliance Notice.
Specifically, rectifying the underpayments in full, plus superannuation and interest.
The Federal Circuit Court has listed the matter for a directions hearing in October.
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