Employers who underpay or deny wages and entitlements will face greater scrutiny as part of a new regulatory crackdown.
The Western Australian Government will make it harder for companies to commit wage theft through giving industrial inspectors more powers, banning employers from unreasonably requiring employees to spend or ‘pay back’ their wages, and stop discriminating against employees because they enquired or complained about their employment conditions.
‘Sham’ contracts ban
As part of the government’s recommendations to the recent inquiry into wage theft, jobs will have to be advertised for at least the minimum wage and sham contracting arrangements will be banned. A new wage theft website will also be launched to help anonymously report suspected wage theft at www.wagetheft.wa.gov.au
Authorities slammed wage theft for having a “significant impact” on workers, causing financial hardship and even an unfair competitive disadvantage for employers who correctly pay their staff.
Related articles
Mine workers have the right to refuse $80K pay cut says advocate
Pay dispute escalates to locking out workers at major coal mine
Contractor turns casual workers permanent and lifts wages after industrial action
Job destroying automation has to stop says Outback advocate.
“The WA Government is committed to a fair safety net of wages and entitlements for all workers,” State Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston said in a public statement. “I encourage anyone who thinks their employer is deliberately underpaying them, or not giving them their full entitlements, to report it via the website.”
Add Comment