Company ordered to back pay more than $20,000
A Sydney-based wedding dress designer has been fined $30,000 and ordered to back pay $21,604 after failing to act on a Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) Compliance Notice.
The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed the penalties against 10 Foster Street Pty Ltd, which operates a bridal store and design studio in Leichhardt, Sydney.
The penalties stem after the company failed to act on a Compliance Notice that ordered it to calculate and pay entitlements owed to four workers employed between June 2015 and September 2021.
The employees, including two young workers aged between 23 and 25, were engaged in various roles, including design, pattern making, draping, and administration.
The FWO launched an investigation after the affected workers contacted the office for assistance.
It found that the workers were not paid for untaken annual leave entitlements, and one worker was also denied payment in lieu of notice upon her employment termination.
The court's order includes $21,604 in back pay, along with superannuation and interest, owed under the General Retail Industry Award 2020 and the Fair Work Act's National Employment Standards.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth emphasised the seriousness of non-compliance with Compliance Notices.
"When Compliance Notices are not followed, we will continue to take legal action to protect employees. Employers who fail to act on these notices risk significant penalties and back-pay orders," Booth said in a statement.
