A compliance crackdown has resulted in legal action
A Queensland labour hire provider and its manager are facing legal action in the Federal Circuit and Family Court over allegations they knowingly supplied false documents to Fair Work inspectors auditing pay on a strawberry farm.
Korserv Pty Ltd, which supplied labour to farm operators in Queensland, and its manager, Janghwan Choi, have been sued by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) following a proactive compliance campaign in 2023 targeting horticulture employers.
Fair Work Inspectors attempted to audit pay rates for workers on a strawberry farm in the Glass House Mountains after beginning the campaign. When the farm manager advised that Korserv had been engaged to provide labour hire, inspectors requested time and wage records from the company.
The Ombudsman alleges that Korserv and Choi then breached the Fair Work Act by providing false records in December 2023 and January 2024.
The documents allegedly included falsified pay slips, falsified payment evidence from Korserv’s bank account, and piecework agreements – required under the Horticulture Award – bearing falsified employee signatures for 14 workers on the farm.
According to the FWO, the false information purported to show that Korserv had paid the workers, when in fact it had never made those payments.
It is alleged that Choi later admitted Korserv had subcontracted two other companies which were actually responsible for paying the workers, and that he had sent money to those subcontractors to pay wages.
The regulator understands at least three of the 14 affected workers were migrant visa holders.
The FWO is seeking penalties for multiple alleged breaches. Korserv faces maximum penalties of up to $93,900 per contravention, while Choi faces penalties of up to $18,780 per contravention.
A directions hearing is listed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Brisbane on 21 May 2026.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said the alleged conduct was serious and justified court action.
“We allege that the conduct in this case is a blatant flouting of workplace laws. Employers need to be aware that taking action to try to rid the agriculture sector of this sort of behaviour is a priority for the Fair Work Ombudsman,” she explained.
Booth said the regulator placed particular focus on matters involving visa holders.
“We treat alleged breaches of workplace laws involving visa holder workers particularly seriously because we are aware they can be vulnerable, as they are often unaware of their rights, heavily reliant on their employers or reluctant to complain,” Booth said.
“Any workers with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance.”
