A randim audit by Fair Work inspectors of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Victoria has shown the majority are conforming with national workplace laws.
Fair Work inspectors scrutinised the books of 56 7-Eleven stores in Melbourne and Geelong to ensure workers were being paid properly. Thirty-nine were found to be fully compliant with workplace laws, while 17 (30 per cent) recorded contraventions such as the non-payment of penalty and overtime rates, underpayment of the minimum hourly rate and payslip breaches.
Sixty two workers were found to have been underpaid a total of $32,300. The largest underpayment was at a store in the south-east suburbs where 13 staff had been underpaid $9300.
Fair Work Ombudsman executive director Michael Campbell said the 7-Eleven franchisor co-operated during the targeted campaign and no further action will be taken against those employers with contraventions.
ñAfter the employers were made aware of their obligations they swiftly back-paid the workers and updated their record-keeping practices,î he said. ñWe have a flexible and fair approach and our preference is always to work with employers to educate them and help them voluntarily rectify any non-compliance issues.
ñWhile the level of compliance was high, the campaign established several areas which will be the focus of future education and compliance campaigns.î
The campaign followed random audits of convenience stores in Melbourne and Sydney last year which found that 168 workers had been underpaid a total of $162,000.
Earlier this year the Fair Work Ombudsman launched a prosecution against the former operators of 7-Eleven stores in Moorabool St, Geelong and Park St, South Yarra, for allegedly underpaying four workers a total of $85,408 between 2005 and 2009.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has a number of tools on its website, www.fairwork.gov.au, to assist employees and employers to check minimum rates of pay.
Small to medium-sized businesses without human resources staff can also ensure they are better equipped when hiring, managing and dismissing employees by using free template employment documentation with step-by-step instructions available online.
Contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 from 8am-6pm weekdays.