$147,001 in unpaid wages, ordered back to five workers
What happened
Employment New Zealand reports that a restaurant business and its owner were ordered to pay $130,000 in penalties, plus $147,001 in wage arrears to five former workers. The arrears ranged from $7,000 to $78,500 per person.
The breaches included not paying the minimum wage, not keeping proper wage and time records, denying sick leave, holiday pay and public holiday pay, and making unlawful deductions. One worker was owed about $49,000 in unpaid wages and a further $11,000 in deductions for things like rent and loans.
What it means for you
Employers have to keep accurate wage, time and leave records, and pay at least the minimum wage, holiday pay, sick leave and public holiday pay. If you think you are being underpaid, Employment New Zealand and the Labour Inspectorate take reports.
Our take
Most underpayment is not this extreme, but the pattern is the same: hours not recorded, leave not paid, money taken off pay. A payslip that shows hours, rate, tax and leave is your best evidence, so keep them and check them against what you worked.
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Summarised in our own words by Streetwise from the official page above. General information only, not legal or financial advice.