A Laverton North truck driver celebrated a long-awaited pay day recently after the Fair Work Ombudsman backed his under-payment claim.
The man, a former employee of a Laverton North haulage company, was back-paid $28,224 after it was found his travel expenses had been underpaid over five years.
The full-time interstate line haul driver was paid 37 cents per kilometre when he should have received at least 40.88 cents, plus the appropriate travel allowance.
His employer agreed to backpay the driver after it was issued a contravention letter by Fair Work inspectors.
Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said inspectors also served the employer a letter of caution, giving notice that future breaches may attract enforcement action.
“It may seem like an insignificant underpayment – around two cents an hour plus travel allowance – but mistakes like this can add up over time, and leave an employer with a hefty bill for back-payment of entitlements,” she said.
Ms James said the man’s situation was one of three backpay cases in the western suburbs that the Fair Work Ombudsman had worked on recently.
The Ombudsman also helped a former Derrimut business manager recoup almost $15,000 in annual leave entitlements, and a Caroline Springs apprentice carpenter recouped $7300 in backpay.
