Filipino-owned businesses in Adelaide might be failing to comply with basic workplace laws.
A Fair Work Ombudsman compliance and education campaign found that a good number of businesses, which could potentially include Filipino-owned enterprises, are uninformed and ill-equipped when it comes to basic issues such as record keeping and pay rates.
Audits conducted found that 45 percent of 125 businesses in the Adelaide CBD as well as the surrounding suburbs of North Adelaide, Norwood, Kent Town and Brompton failed workplace compliance checks.
The audited businesses were randomly selected; however, businesses which employed a significant number of at-risk employees, such as migrants, student and casual workers were given special focus.
Although the businesses belonged to a variety of industries, particular attention was given to the food and beverage industry, such as restaurants and cafés, as well as the manufacturing, security and retail sectors.
The audits, which were prompted by a high volume of assistance requests from Adelaide and its surrounding suburbs, uncovered that 36 of the 125 businesses were not paying their employees the correct wage, while 29 were not keeping proper records and meeting payslip requirements.
Due to these discrepancies, the audits found $54,701 worth of unpaid wages and entitlements for 113 employees.
The discoveries resulted in the issuance of formal cautions as well as compliance notices and on-the-spot fines.
According to Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James, “Keeping correct employment records and providing payslips are basic workplace obligations that every employer should be aware of.”
Ms. James shared that penalties for breaching record-keeping continue to increase, and non-compliance may mean that businesses could be issued hefty fines.
Aside from the initial audits, the Fair Work Ombudsman will also be following up with businesses to make sure that issues have been rectified and workplace laws are being followed moving forward.
Ms. James warned that “serious or deliberate breaches of workplace laws” and non-compliance will be met with prosecution.
The campaign, which was launched in April across Australia, aims to educate both employers and employees regarding both their rights and obligations in the workplace, so that they are certain that they are complying with the law.
Free resources regarding proper compliance with workplace laws are available from the Fair Work Ombudsman.
ALSO READ: