Rockpool’s Burger Project exits Queensland
Rockpool Dining Group’s Burger Project has quietly exited the Queensland market with the closure of their final store.
Located on Edward Street in the Brisbane CBD, the outlet closed its doors on 2 August after two years in operation.
A Rockpool spokesperson told the Courier Mail the closure was “a result of a saturated burger market in Brisbane” and said the group will launch a new concept in the space.
There are nine Burger Project outlets currently in operation in New South Wales and Victoria.
The group has been in the spotlight in recent weeks after news broke on 20 July that a former Rockpool chef was suing the group for alleged underpayments and mistreatment.
Rockpool published a press release on the same day under the title of wage reconciliation on the company’s website.
“Rockpool Dining Group recognises that its legacy systems and procedures were not capable of appropriately ensuring, in all instances, that every team member received correct payments to reflect hours worked and that this resulted in instances of underpayment,” reads the statement.
The release says the group implemented a new system in April 2017 and “more recently” introduced a time and attendance system that “enables the company to track and monitor rosters to ensure accurate reconciliation of annualised salaries”.
The group confirmed it reviewed payroll function and undertook a reconciliation of annualised salaries relating to the financial year ending June 2018, with “top-up payments made to relevant employees in accordance with award terms”. In October 2018, it was revealed the amount was $1.6 million.
The group says payments have now been made to current and former employees in relation to the five financial years from June 2013 to June 2017 inclusive.
There are former Rockpool employees who have yet to be compensated, with the statement confirming the group remains “engaged with the Fair Work Ombudsman” and issuing a call out for former employees with “enquiries” to contact the group .