Sometimes when you’re in the office, watching multi-millionaire partners meander through the corridors with an air of self-importance, it is easy to forget that these folks are just twits in corporate camouflage. Stories like the one below help expose their true, idiotic form.
A big thanks to the excellent work of the anonymous tipster who alerted us to this news.
If any of our spies know the name of the firm – please inform us, anonymously if you so choose.
As noted on the Fair Work Ombudsman website:
The Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered $8000 in redundancy pay for an administrative worker who was laid-off by a prominent Melbourne law firm. When her job was terminated, the woman was told she was not eligible to receive redundancy pay. Concerned this was not correct, she contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Inspectors investigated the complaint and found the woman was indeed owed $8000 in redundancy pay for her years of service. Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Mike Campbell says the reason for the underpayment was the law firm’s lack of awareness of its obligations under workplace relations laws. “We’ve decided against prosecuting because we’re satisfied the underpayment was inadvertent and the firm has co-operated fully to rectify the matter,” Mr Campbell said. “But we really do expect employers to make a much better effort than this to ensure they pay all entitlements owing to any employees they lay-off. “The tough economic conditions represent challenging times but they are no excuse for failing to pay workers’ full entitlements, and neither is ignorance of the law. “Redundancy entitlements play a vital supporting role for people while they attempt to pick themselves up, find a new job and get back on their feet.”
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One would hope this ‘prominent Melbourne firm’ is one without an employment practice group, otherwise the Ombudsman’s conclusion re: ‘lack of awareness’ would seem dubious at best.