Restaurants and cafés in Brisbane and Cairns are in the crosshairs of the Fair Work Ombudsman this week with a series of surprise inspections underway.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said inspectors were checking time and wage records, and employee payslips, in fast food outlets, restaurants and cafés in “cheap eats” havens in those cities.
Ms Booth said inspectors would also make enquiries to ensure wages and entitlements were being paid correctly.
“Accurate records and payslips are a crucial ‘bedrock’ for ensuring employers are paying their employees lawfully for all hours worked. We’re checking food outlets to ensure employers are meeting their legal obligation to prepare accurate records and payslips,” she said.
“Missing, incorrect or poorly maintained records and payslips are often an indicator of wage underpayments.
“We are focusing here on the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector because it has a history of high levels of non-compliance and employs large numbers of young people and migrant workers, who we’ve found are more likely to be unaware of their workplace rights or unwilling to speak up if something seems wrong.”
Ms Booth said employers who did not meet their record-keeping and payslip obligations could be fined and/or issued with Compliance Notices requiring them to backpay wages.
“Businesses were selected for inspections based on factors such as anonymous reports and enquiries to the FWO, and for some a history of non-compliance.”
She said in 2023-24, 760 Infringement Notices were issued nationally for record-keeping and pay slip breaches, with employers paying nearly $987,000 in fines.
