A teenager, employed as a carpenter, was allegedly underpaid more than $8,000 by a construction company in Queensland, according to a further Fair Work Ombudsman prosecution.
JDAC Pty Ltd (JDAC), the employer and construction company, allegedly paid the full-time carpenter apprentice rates between June 2008 and February 2009, despite the fact that the employee was not formally registered as an apprentice. The employee was aged 18 and 19 years of age at the time.
Apprentice rates may only be paid by an employer to an employee when the employee and employer have formally lodged an apprenticeship contract, and the employee is formally registered as an apprentice.
JDAC allegedly paid the employed carpenter between $7.46 and $7.73 per hour, while he was entitled to be paid in excess of $15 per hour.
The employee lodged a complaint with the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman and as a result has had part of the alleged underpayment rectified.
An order seeking the repayment of the remaining money owed shall be sought in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in May this year.