Saturday October 3, 2009

BOSSES REMINDED ABOUT PAYING PUBLIC HOLIDAY RATES

NSW Minister for Industrial Relations, John Hatzistergos, today reminded retailers to ensure that all staff working on Monday’s public holiday are paid correct award rates.

“Employers must ensure that the correct award rates of pay are paid and the appropriate meal and rest breaks are given to staff working on a public holiday,” he said. Mr Hatzistergos said that more than $4 million was recovered from employers in NSW last financial year, including back payments for workers that did not receive correct public holiday penalty rates.

“NSW inspectors visit workplaces across the State to ensure that businesses are competing fairly and complying with their obligations as an employer,” he said. “As part of these visits, inspectors specifically check that public holiday rates have been applied.”

Over the past year, underpayments uncovered by inspectors have included:

?$312 from a Urunga café/takeaway for not paying penalty rates on Anzac Day
?$662 for a child care worker in Sans Souci for underpayments including the October public holiday last year
?$817 for four casual employees at a café in Sutherland Shire

“If an employer fails to meet basic legal requirements they will be required to make back payments and in some cases may be prosecuted,” the Minister said.
“To avoid any mistakes, I encourage any retailer to check what rates of pay they should be paying their staff who work on Monday by contacting the Office of Industrial Relations on 131 628 or at www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au

“Promoting a positive work-life balance across the NSW working community is an important issue for the NSW Government. “It is important that retailers pay correct wages in exchange for the hard work of their staff who give up their holiday to work.”

Resources: ‘© State of New South Wales through the Office of Industrial Relations’

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