Trolley collection contractors who were once part of supply chains for Woolworths, Coles and Foodland have been penalised more than $90,000 after underpaying workers.
Adelaide man Ki Bok Jin, who deliberately underpaid the workers through his now defunct trolley collecting company South Jin Pty Ltd, has been penalised $44,350.
In addition, Coastal Trolley Services Pty Ltd, which sub-contracted Jin’s company to provide trolley collection services, has also been penalised $38,000 and its major shareholder and director Edward Stroop a further $8500.
The penalties, imposed in the Federal Court, are the result of an investigation and legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Fair Work inspectors investigated after receiving underpayment allegations and found workers were paid as little as $8 an hour.
Under the Cleaning Services Award, permanent full time employees were entitled to receive at the time more than $14 and casual employees more than $17 for ordinary hours and more than $30 for some weekend and overtime work.
Superannuation entitlements were also underpaid.
Justice Richard White found that Jin, through his company, had “adopted, deliberately, a system which would result in underpayments and sought to disguise that by producing wage records which were not just inaccurate, but false”.
Need help with HR and compliance?
