The Fair Work Ombudsman has issued a media release advising that it will audit employers in NSW as part of a new campaign.
Fair Work Inspectors will target businesses located in the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region.
Fair Work Inspectors will check employers are paying the correct minimum hourly rates, penalty rates, allowances and loadings and providing appropriate meal breaks.
Compliance with record-keeping and pay-slip obligations will also being monitored during the campaign.
Persistent underpayment allegations from workers are among the prompts for a new Fair Work Ombudsman campaign in NSW’s Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region. The Fair Work Ombudsman is contacted by dozens of workers in the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region each year alleging they have been underpaid. This includes a number of underpayment allegations from apprentices and trainees.
The Fair Work Ombudsman recovered a total of $54,600 for workers throughout the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region during the 2015-16 financial year.
Big fines and expensive penalties
Employers risk penalties of up to $54,000 for each breach of the Fair Work Act 2009.
Most businesses – including small businesses – are now covered by the national Fair Work system created by the Fair Work Act 2009.
Fair Work Inspectors appointed by the Fair Work Ombudsman have the power to enter a workplace at any time during working hours to inspect records and ensure compliance. Fair Work Inspectors may issue on the spot infringement notices. They can also recommend taking matters to court.
> Learn more about fines and penalties
> Learn more about recent prosecutions for breaching workplace laws
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