Perth security firm fined for underpaying employees
Rockingham AU Dec 28 2017 A Rockingham security company has been forced to repay more than $200,000 to its employees after under-paying them for just over 12 months.
Sureguard Security Pty Ltd landed in the Federal Court of Australia over the underpayments, and was fined last week for the offences which affected 22 employees.
The company admitted contraventions of the Fair Work Act by failing to pay casual loading, allowances, and minimum, overtime and penalty rates of pay between December 29, 2014 and January 10, 2016.
The underpayments left security guards employed by Suregurd Security out of pocket to the tune of $205,408.40, with one underpaid by $20,563.27, 10 underpaid by more than $10,000, and eight by more than $4000.
The prolonged period of non-compliance with the Fair Work Act was admitted by Sureguard’s sole director and shareholder Gary Crowther who, for a number of days, did pay employees above the minimum wage, believing this would cover the shortfalls in not paying penalty rates.
Mr Crowther’s employees regularly performed work during unsociable hours at night, on weekends and on public holidays.
