Grill’d was the top user of a COVID-19 apprenticeship program and billed taxpayers $16.6 million towards the wages of almost 3000 workers, while also being able to pay them less per hour than non-trainees.

The popular burger chain is again facing criticism for its policy of requiring all new staff to undertake vocational training, which allowed it to pay less per hour while also claiming up to $28,000 a year for each trainee.