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Breaking News
Junior car washers were never paid, so watchdog seeks court action
24th October, 2008
A teenager who was employed to wash, clean and detail cars for more than a month has still not been paid for more than two years later, according to court documents.
It's alleged the then 18-year-old was one of four casual employees the Royal Melbourne Car Wash at Camberwell paid nothing at all.
The nationaly pay protector claims the man is owed more than $850 for work he compled in March and April 2006.
Federal Workplace Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson says the 18-year-old should have been paid a minimum hourly rate of $9.96 - rising to $17.93 on Sundays.
Similarly, he claims another 20-year-old who worked for thesame company for two weeks - and was paid nothing at all - should have got between $13.94 and $25.10 an hour...and is still owed more than $781.
The Workplace Ombudsman is taking the matter to the Magistrate's Court of Victoria in a bid to recover the money.
Mr Wilson says the business has a long history of non-compliance, revealing 20 claims have been made against it over the past 10 years.
A statement of claim allges the company which runs the car wash, Reiquin Pty Ltd, and its sole director Richard Timothy Reid, owe more than $4500 to five ex workers.
It says they should have been paid various ordinary, penalty and weekend rates under the Vehicle Industry (Repair, Services and Retail) Award 2002.
The Workplace Ombudsman is seeking payment for the workers and penalties against Reiquin and Reid.
In a seperate move, the agency has taken legal action in the Melbourne Magistrate's Court to try to recover $91,000 owed by a former Malaysian restaurant to three of its former employees.
One of the workers was allegedly paid just $9650 for 18 months work at the Box Hill restaurant and is owed more than $83,000.
www.wo.gov.au Friday 24th October 2008