Workplace standards watchdog runs hospitality sting in inner Brisbane

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Fast food restaurants and cafés in inner Brisbane have been put on high alert as the national workplace regulator runs a sting on “cheap eats” havens in cities across eastern states until Friday.

Fair Work inspectors were expected to drop in without notice at 45 outlets in Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney and Canberra to check time and wage records, payslip and vet employers on correct wage and entitlement practices.

The Fair Work Ombudsman, Anna Booth, said accurate records and payslips were “a crucial bedrock” for compliance with Fair Work laws.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is targeting “cheap eats” businesses in Brisbane’s CBD.

“Missing, incorrect or poorly maintained records and payslips are often an indicator of wage underpayments,” Booth said.

The Ombudsman said employers could be fined for incorrectly maintaining records, which could include missed or incomplete payslips and failing to log casual hours, overtime, or leave.

Inspectors were focussing on inner-city areas across the four cities, including the CBDs of Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra and Sydney’s inner-west.

“We are focusing here on the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector because it has a history of high levels of non-compliance and employs large numbers of young people and migrant workers, who we’ve found are more likely to be unaware of their workplace rights or unwilling to speak up if something seems wrong,” Booth said.

One in four compliance notices issued in the 2023-24 financial year were issued to businesses in the restaurants, fast food and café sector – from which $5.6 million in unpaid wage was recovered.

The watchdog handed out 760 fines last year, equating to about $987,000.

Fines range from maximum penalties of $1980 per offence for individuals, and almost $10,000 for each breach committed by a company.

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said accurate records and payslips were “a crucial bedrock” for compliance with Fair Work laws

The Ombudsman is currently seeking penalties from multi-city chain P’Nut Street Noodles for alleged misconduct in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, and Sydney stores, having begun legal proceedings in April.

The workplace regulator suspected almost $1 million has been withheld from 118 employees at the Asian fusion restaurant chain.

It said most of the affected workers were visa holders, and alleged that Sabcha – the company that owns the chain – had attempted to mislead Fair Work inspectors with incorrect documentation.

The Fair Work Ombudsman expected to continue investigations into the four-dozen businesses inspected this week after the on-site audits, with officers providing information to employees about their rights and responsibilities while at the venues.

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