Menswear retailer Matt Jensen has joined calls for an overhaul of the general retail industry award after his company, MJ Bale, found it had been underpaying staff for several years.

MJ Bale, which employs more than 300 staff across almost 60 stores and counts veteran retailer David Briskin and former Oroton boss Ross Lane as directors, has handed back about half a million dollars in wages, interest and superannuation to compensate staff underpaid under the award.