October 24, 2022
Employers across Australia were forced to repay more than $532 million to 384,805 underpaid workers during 2021-22.
The statistics, released by the Fair Work Ombudsman, were both a record for back-paid wages and entitlements, and the number of employees affected.
The payments are three times higher than the previous record set in 2020-21, and more than quadruple the 2019-20 amount.
More than half the year’s payments came from large corporate employers who back-paid nearly $279 million to more than 267,000 employees.
Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said all employers must prioritise putting in place systems to ensure they were paying workers their lawful entitlements.
“Those who are doing the wrong thing, including large corporates, are being found out, and we don’t hesitate to take enforcement action where appropriate,” she said.
The FWO launched 137 litigations during 2021-22, 80 per cent more than the year before.
In concluded cases, the agency secured about $2.7 million in court-ordered penalties, of which about $1.8 million were from matters involving exploited migrant workers.
The FWO entered into nine Enforceable Undertakings with businesses, recovering $56.4 million for workers.
The workplace regulator also issued 2345 Compliance Notices, with recoveries through these notices up 23 per cent in a year.
Inspectors also issued 492 infringement notices, collecting $446,037 in fines.
