26 Bakers Delight employees have been reimbursed almost $40,000, following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) that found they had been underpaid minimum hourly rates, casual loadings, weekend and public holiday penalty rates, and shift allowances.
Regional NSW Bakers Delight retail stores in Bateau Bay and Wyong, run by franchisee JMCA Pty Ltd, were found to have delivered individual underpayments ranging from $104 to $3,672.
The FWO said that their investigation came as a result of an audit of JCMA’s stores.
“We know workplace laws can be complicated for the uninitiated, and for those who are not industrial experts, but we ask small business to use the tools and resources that we provide for them and inform themselves,” Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said.
The investigation found three staff had been underpaid over $3,000, four underpaid over $2,000 and seven by more than $1,000.
JCMA fully co-operated with the FWO, agreeing to rectify the underpayments and placing processes to ensure workplace law compliance. The company also signed an Enforceable Undertaking, which agrees to self-auditing in order to ensure employees are rightly paid.
