Minimum Wage – SXSW Legal

Wage and Hour Division: Are They Paying You Right?

Majority of us would like to make more money than we are currently making in our jobs; however a few among us might even be satisfied by their current wages. Nevertheless, there are some who do not get paid enough for all the efforts they put in. To make sure that nobody is treated unfairly, there is a criterion set for a minimum wage. This is mentioned in the Fair Work Act of 2009. This act is responsible for regulating and keeping an annual check on wages and if you are unsure you could check a lawyer’s list and then engage a lawyer to help you.

The yearly minimum wage is reviewed according to the rules and regulations listed in part 2-6 of the act. The minimum wage panel is a branch of the Fair Work Act that sets the minimum salary that must be given to any worker. This panel reviews and set wages on a national level which are later approved for awards and agreements. For legal advice regarding unfair dismissal or workplace rights, you will need to consult an employment lawyer if you wish to seek legal advice.

When we talk about wage and hour division, five things should be taken into account:

Normal load and rate of pay
Maximum standard hours of work
Parental Leaves
Personal Leaves
Annual Leaves

These national employment standards are also working on adding needs such as flexible working times, public holidays, termination notice periods, unemployment pay, community service leaves, and long service leaves.

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“No Idea” About Minimum Wage Laws Leads to $46,000 Unpaid Wages

A business where management claimed to have “no idea” about the laws regarding minimum wages, has been ordered to pay $46,000. This was announced by the Fair Work Ombudsman, regarding the owner of a fast-food restaurant located in Melbourne. The operator had been paying its staff below the national award rate, and told officials that they did not know about minimum wages.

A food outlet, called Mr Kitchen Box Hill, was the business in question. Between December of 2013, and January of 2015, 18 employees were paid less than they were legally entitled to. The owner and the employees had agreed to a flat rate of $17 per hour, which is $1.52 an hour less than the award rate for the fast food industry. Of the individual employees, the biggest two underpayments were $12,071 and $13,584. Chinese nationals operate the company, via DM&G Pty Ltd. It is located in the shopping centre in Box Hill.

Natalie James, the Fair Work Ombudsman, stated that the Fair Work officials believed the underpayments to be an honest mistake. They did not find any reason to believe that the operator had been paying their staff too little on purpose. They genuinely seemed to be ignorant of the laws. The limited company has complied with officials, and expressed a desire to follow the workplace regulations closely in the future. The company has signed an agreement with the Fair Work Ombudsman, which is an enforceable undertaking. This will ensure that their behaviour does comply with workplace legislation in the future.

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