The Federal Circuit Court of Australia has recently handed down a decision involving allegations of underpayment and inadequate record keeping in relation to a second-year apprentice employed by a plumbing company.

During the Fair Work Ombudsman’s (“FWO”) investigation of this matter the company admitted to the breaches and remedied the underpayment by providing the employee with $26,882.73 in back pay. However, the FWO still launched proceedings against the employer and a director of the company as joint respondents with respect to these breaches, seeking the imposition of civil penalties.

Employee records

The court was not required to determine whether the employee had been underpaid, as this was admitted by the employer. The judge did, however, make the following comments regarding the use of employee records in underpayment claims:

“Given the statutory requirements upon employers with respect to record-keeping…a Court would accept even the most slight and generalised evidence of an employee as to the hours of employment in circumstances where an employer does not produce appropriate records.”

The judge made reference to recent amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) regarding evidence in underpayment claims. Earlier this year, the FW Act was amended to provide that, in circumstances where an employer fails to keep appropriate employee records, and the employee brings an underpayment claim, the employer bears the onus of disproving any allegations made by the employee about the work performed by the employee or the payments made by the employer.

Key lessons for employers

1. Underpayments and poor record keeping can result in significant penalties being imposed under the FW Act, both on the employing entity and any individuals who are involved in the contraventions;
2. The FWO may still prosecute employers even though the employer admits and rectifies an underpayment; and
3. An employer bears the onus of disproving any allegations of underpayment made by an employee.