They were also ordered to back-pay the underpaid employees
The operator and director of Flow Cafe in Sydney have been ordered to pay a total of $30,000 for underpaying a pair of employees between April 2019 and October 2021.
MT Infinity Pty Ltd was fined $25,000, while company director Miah Golam Tareque was fined $5,000, according to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
The penalties were a result of the operator failing to comply with the Compliance Order that mandated it to back-pay the two full-time employees a total of $14,148.
The back-payment covers underpaid minimum wages, owed under the Restaurant Industry Award 2020, as well as the annual leave entitlements, owed under the Fair Work Act's National Employment Standards.
Tareque was penalised for being involved in the contravention, according to the FWO.
Acting on Compliance Notices
Anna Booth, Fair Work Ombudsman, reiterated that employers that fail to act on Compliance Notices risk facing penalties in court.
"When Compliance Notices are not followed, we will continue to take legal action to protect employees. Employers who fail to act on these notices risk substantial penalties and back-pay orders," Booth said in a statement.
According to Booth, FWO is putting priority on taking actions to improve compliance in the fast food, restaurant, and cafe sector.
"Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance," Booth said.
