Scrutiny on wage theft

ALMOST 40 per cent of businesses caught breaking workplace laws, including by underpaying employees, were still doing it when re-audited by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

The ombudsman re-audited 479 business that had previously broken laws.

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said 62 per cent of re-audited businesses were now complying with the law.

Of the businesses that remained non-compliant, the agency recovered $244,246 from 98 employers for 347 workers. It issued 82 per cent with infringement notices, compliance notices and formal cautions.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions said yesterday the report “barely scratches the surface of wage theft”.

Unions highlighted how one of the prosecutions commenced six years after the agency first became aware of the employer’s behaviour, in 2012.