A fast-food franchise in Perth has been forced to back-pay many of its teenage workers $50,000 in wages following investigations by the Federal Workplace Ombudsman.
After checking employment records, Western Australian Workplace Ombudsman inspectors discovered 33 staff members had been short-changed at the franchise, missing an average of $1,500 each.
The office is now considering legal action against the franchise, part of a national take-away food chain.
The franchise was not the only offender to be discovered by the office in its latest round of investigations.
A bakery in Perth’s southern suburbs underpaid 13 junior apprentices and retail sales staff more than $24,000, an average of $1,800 each, while a food processing company in Bunbury underpaid 145 of its employees $41,800, an average of $290 each after receiving incorrect advice.
So far this financial year, the office has recovered $1.584 million for 1,308 employees, with most claims coming from the retail and hospitality sectors.
