Former trolley-collection company WCH Services Pty Ltd has had its third legal proceedings set against it by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
The newest litigation is said to be for failing to pay a Fair Work Commission compensation order to a worker who had been unfairly dismissed.
The order was made in November 2016 for a total of $962 to be paid to the worker, but the money was never paid. After several attempts by the Fair Work Ombudsman to get Victorian man William Collen Hancock and his company WCH Services Pty Ltd to pay the order, the compensation was still left unpaid.
Two more legal actions have begun recently against Mr Hancock and his company for failing to pay $17,392 and $4,446 to two other employees it found to be unfairly dismissed in 2015.
“Compliance with Fair Work Commission orders is fundamental for the integrity of the workplace-relations system and employers should be aware they can potentially face penalties far exceeding the original compensation amounts if they do not comply with them,” Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said.
“No-one can pick and choose when it comes to complying with their workplace obligations. Failing to comply with Fair Work Commission orders is a serious matter, and we will not hesitate to use all the levers at our disposal to ensure that individuals and organisations comply.”
According to a Fair Work statement, Mr Hancock and his company face maximum penalties of $10,800 and $54,000 per contravention, respectively. The Fair Work Ombudsman is also seeking court orders for Mr Hancock and his company to pay the outstanding compensation amounts, plus interest, and orders for legal costs.
In 2014, penalties of nearly $50,000 were secured against World Gym Sunshine Pty Ltd and its director Wayne George Mailing for failing to pay $2,200 in compensation orders.