Western Downs bakery owner fined thousands for underpaying employee

A Western Downs bakery that refused to rectify underpaying an employee despite being served a compliance notice from Fair Work has been slapped with a hefty fine in court.

A Western Downs bakery has been fined thousands of dollars for refusing to rectify underpaying an employee despite being served a compliance notice.

The Woolshed Bakery owner Allan James Beil was fined $8057 after he failed to back-pay a baker who worked for him between March and May 2020, and also failed to provide her with payslips.

Manager of the Tara bakery Brooke Beil was fined $3776 for her involvement in failing to provide the former employee with pay slips. The bakery was penalised a total of $11,833.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court ordered Allan Beil to fully back-pay the ex-baker, plus superannuation and interest.

The Fair Work Ombudsman said the owner was issued a compliance notice in July, 2021 after the underpaid employee contacted Fair Work claiming she was underpaid for her casual night shifts, and was not being paid correct weekend penalty rates.

Woolshed Bakery, Tara.

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said businesses who failed to act on compliance notices faced court-imposed penalties in addition to what they have to back-pay workers.

“When compliance notices are not followed, we are prepared to take legal action to ensure workers receive their lawful entitlements,” she said.

Judge Amanda Tonkin said there was a need to send a message to employers and the industry that a failure to act on a compliance notice was a serious matter.