Article 10 - Fair Work Ombudsman recovers $26.7 million from businesses underpaying staff

Did you know that Fair Work Australia has recovered $26.7 million dollars in underpayments for employees in 2010-11.  This does not include fines given out to companies as well as individual business owners.  This is due to businesses not applying the correct Awards and not following the NES National Employment Standards. 

The two top performing states in receiving the most amounts of fines were NSW being number one with $8.215 million and Victoria close behind at $7.573 million. 

Fair Work Australia is getting very serious with employers who are not compliant, not attempting to address or follow their obligations to employees.  The Fair Work Australia website this year has had the following hits:

      • 2.4 million visitors sought information, assistance and advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman website last financial year
      • The Fair Work Infoline - open from 8 am to 6 pm weekdays - also provided help to more than 825,000 callers, the Agency’s 2010-11 annual report reveals
      • Online Live Chat service increased by 55%, up to almost 55,000 sessions from the 35,400 the previous year
      • Email and postal requests for assistance were also up significantly, rising 61% from 22,500 to 36,400 
      • Fair Work inspectors completed more than 22,000 educational visits to employers in 2010-11

       (Fair Work Ombudsman Second Report Card, 21 Oct 2011)

Over the December / January period Key Business Advisors is offering a health check on any business to benchmark themselves against Fair Work Australia expectations.  We are offering a no obligation free audit valued at $385.00 ex-GST to help your business in 2012.

For more information please e-mail info@keyba.com.au  or call our advice hotline on 1300 4 Advice.