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'Bullying, yelling, sexual harassment, underpaid': study finds one in three young worker are being ripped off by employers

RDNE Stock project from Pexels

Waiter sweeping the floor. Represention Image Credit: RDNE Stock project from Pexels

A third of young workers in Australia are being paid less than $15 an hour - that's almost ten dollars below the minimum hourly wage. It's one of the key findings of a Melbourne University report showing 15 to 30 year olds are experiencing widespread breaches of labour laws.


Key Points
  • Professor John Howe from Melbourne University's Law School says young migrants are among the most vulnerable to workplace exploitation.
  • In a survey of more than 2,800 workers under 30, the study found 36 per cent weren't allowed to take breaks they were entitled to, while a similar number, 34 per cent, weren't paid for trial shift work.
  • In a statement to SBS, a spokesperson for the Fair Work Ombudsman says it proactively checks employers are doing the right thing, and prioritises education and assistance for vulnerable young workers.

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