The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured a total of $19,922 in penalty and back-pay orders in court against the former operators of a Queensland transport and logistics business.
The Federal Circuit and Family Court has imposed penalties of $5,328 against each of Jatinder Singh Bassi, a sole trader who operated Bassi Group Transport, and his wife Satty Bassi, who was involved in operating and managing the business.
Bassi Group Transport formerly provided waste collection and disposal services in and around the Brisbane and Logan areas.
The penalties were imposed in response to Mr Bassi failing to comply with a Compliance Notice requiring the back-payment of a truck driver he employed on a part-time basis between June 2019 and February 2020. Ms Bassi was involved in the contravention.
In addition to the penalties, the Court has ordered Mr Bassi to rectify the $9,266 underpayment of the worker, plus interest.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said business operators that fail to act on Compliance Notices need to be aware they can face penalties in court on top of having to back-pay workers.
“When Compliance Notices are not followed, we will continue to take legal action. Employers who fail to act on these notices risk substantial penalties and back-pay orders,” Ms Booth said.
“Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance.”
The FWO investigated after receiving a request for assistance from the affected worker.
A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice to Mr Bassi in December 2021 in response to the worker being underpaid entitlements owed under the Waste Management Award 2010 and the Fair Work Act’s National Employment Standards.
The worker was underpaid shift-work overtime rates, public holiday base rates, annual leave entitlements, payment-in-lieu-of-notice-of-termination entitlements, afternoon and night-shift penalty rates, and penalty rates for weekend and public holiday work.
