Fairwork urges industry to adhere to pay rates

Fairwork Australia has warned transport operators to keep up-to-date with Modern Awards, a set of legal documents that set minimum employment entitlements for specific industries or occupations.

It has been revealed an underpaid truck driver in Northern Queensland has been back-paid $52,000 following recent intervention by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

The worker – who is aged in his 60s and was employed at a transport business near Cairns – was underpaid the minimum hourly rate and travel allowance entitlements between January 2010 and September last year.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said the underpayment occurred because of a lack of awareness by the employer of its payment obligations under workplace laws.

“The underpayment was inadvertent and the employer has co-operated fully and promptly with Fair Work Inspectors, so no further compliance action has been necessary,” Ms James said.

“This case illustrates that a small inadvertent underpayment per hour, left unchecked over time, can result in a business having to make a big back-payment it was not budgeting for, so it’s important employers make sure they are aware of the pay rates that apply to their staff.”

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