An Indian migrant who was fighting for his unpaid wages while also battling aggressive brain cancer has died in hospital.
40-year-old Sanjeev Kumar who worked for nearly four years as a manager at an Indian restaurant in New South Wales was diagnosed with cancer after suddenly falling sick in March this year.
Mr Kumar underwent two surgeries to remove a brain tumour. However, his condition did not improve and he had been in palliative care at Tamworth Hospital.
SBS Punjabi reported last week that Mr Kumar was claiming thousands of dollars in unpaid wages, overtime and penalties from his employer while he was fighting for his life.
His bank statements show a flat payment of $888.65 per week paid intermittently, receiving wages for 110 weeks since he commenced employment in October 2015.
Mr Kumar claimed that he was still owed wages for over 70 weeks in addition to overtime and penalty rates.
Sanjeev Kumar in hospital. Source: Supplied
“The employer paid him for one week and then didn’t pay for two-three weeks and then again paid for two weeks and didn’t pay for a week. It has been like this throughout,” Mr Kumar’s sister Poonam told SBS Punjabi last week.
“He has only been paid a flat rate for 38 hours per week whereas the actual number of hours worked is far higher. He hasn’t been paid overtime, weekend penalties, shift loading… anything,” she said.
Mr Kumar’s employer said he didn’t owe him any money but conceded that the payroll record didn’t reflect Mr Kumar has been paid correctly. But he said he would pay up if an investigation found Mr Kumar had been underpaid.
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