Caboolture bus driver back-paid $10,000 after investigation by Fair Work inspectors in Queensland
By David Goeldner | June 24, 2010
A Caboolture bus driver has been back-paid $10,000 after an investigation by Fair Work inspectors in Queensland.
Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says the underpayments occurred over a number of years.
“Inspectors found the bus driver had been underpaid his hourly rate of pay, overtime entitlements and penalty rates,” he says.
“After inspectors contacted the transport company involved and explained its legal obligations, the driver was reimbursed in full.”
Campbell says the underpayment was the result of a lack of understanding by the employer of its legal obligation.
He says operators need to be fully aware of their obligations under awards or agreements affecting bus drivers.
“We have a flexible, fair approach and our preference is always to work with employers to educate and help them voluntarily rectify any non-compliance issues we identify,” Campbell says.
Campbell acknowledges that inadvertent and accidental breaches of workplace laws do and will occur – especially with the introduction of the new system of awards from July 1.
“While we have a compliance obligation to fulfil, we want to help employers to ‘get it right’,” he says.
“There are at least four modern awards that cover the road transport sector, some with transitional arrangements set out by Fair Work Australia, others without.”
Note: The driver in question is not an employee of Caboolture Bus Lines.