Gold Coast recruitment company accused of wage theft
A Gold Coast recruitment company and its general manager have been accused of wage theft by a former employee.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against the company.
The regulator is seeking penalties and an order requiring it to back-pay the affected worker.
Gold Coast recruitment company accused of wage theft
Facing court is Back Your Cause Pty Ltd, which traded as ‘BYC Recruitment’ in Bundall before it ceased operating.
Also facing court is the company’s general manager Aaron Murray.
Fair Work commenced an investigation as a result of a wage theft complaint from the worker.
BYC Recruitment employed her as a full-time business development manager between July 2020 and November 2021.
An inspector issued a Compliance Notice to BYC Recruitment in July 2022 after suspecting the company failed to pay the employee for the final month of work she performed.
The inspector also believed the company failed to pay accrued annual leave entitlements.
The regulator alleges that BYC Recruitment subsequently refused to comply with the Notice.
Fair Work commenced an investigation after receiving a wage theft complaint from the worker.
Compliance Notices ‘not optional’
Industrial advocate Miles Heffernan said Compliance Notices are not optional.
“Employers who fail to comply with notices and orders will find themselves facing hefty penalties. That is in addition to being ordered to back-pay what they already owe,” he said.
Mr Heffernan advised anyone who is not being paid their correct wages and entitlements to seek urgent expert advice.
“We have extensive experience in wages recovery and know how to claw back every last cent owed to our workers,” he said.
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The penalties
Meanwhile, Fair Work is seeking seeking penalties for the alleged failure to comply with the Compliance Notice.
Back Your Cause Pty Ltd faces a maximum penalty of $33,300 and Mr Murray faces a maximum penalty of $6,660.
In addition, the regulator is seeking a court order for Back Your Cause to rectify the alleged underpayments in full, plus superannuation and interest.
The Federal Circuit and Family Court has a directions hearing listed in Brisbane on 7 August 2023.
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