Nearly Half Of All Fast-Food Employers Are Undercutting Staff, Fair Work Ombudsman Finds

If you ever suspected you weren’t being paid fairly by your fast-food employer, well, there’s a good chance you were right.

According to the SMH, a nationwide investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman has revealed that only 53 per cent of 565 spot-checked fast food employers had been paying staff their correct wage.

That means 47 per cent of employers were exploiting their staff.

The findings follow recent reports of increased cash-in-hand jobs within the industry, many of these targeting – and exploiting - foreign workers.

Throughout Fair Work’s three-year industry audit, inspectors reportedly found fast-food employers regularly denied overtime and weekend penalty rates while also undercutting minimum hourly wages. And not by a little either.

A couple of Bing Boy franchises in Victoria were found to have underpaid two foreign employees by almost $10,000… in just three months.

So, a number of small employers clearly need to read up on workplace relations. Staff should also get educated. If you want to know what you really should be earning, check the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

Photo: Paramount.