Southland Muffin Break convicted and fined after breaching child employment laws
A Muffin Break store at Westfield Southland has learnt its fate in court after being hit with hundreds of charges over illegal child labour.
South East
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The Muffin Break store at Westfield Southland has been fined and convicted after it was hit with hundreds of charges over illegal child labour.
The store, located in the level 3 food court of the Cheltenham shopping centre, was convicted and fined $10,000 in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday after pleading guilty to 360 breaches of Victoria’s child employment laws.
Wage Inspectorate Victoria, the state’s child employment regulator, began investigating Rianshi Pty Ltd, trading as Muffin Break (Southland), after receiving a report that children under 15 were employed without a child employment permit.
Rianshi Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to:
•employing three children under 15 without a permit on 111 occasions
•failing to ensure the children were supervised by someone with a Working with Children Clearance
•failing to provide a rest break of at least 30 minutes after every three hours of work
•employing children for longer than three hours per day during a school term
•employing children for longer than six hours per day during school holidays.
The offences took place between March 31 and October 20 last year.
In sentencing, Magistrate Malcolm Thomas noted the importance of ensuring work did not negatively affect a child’s wellbeing or impact their schooling.
In recording a conviction, Mr Thomas considered the large number of charges, the extended time over which they happened, and that they involved multiple children.
He also recognised the good corporate character of the company, its genuine remorse, and its early guilty plea.
Acting Commissioner of Wage Inspectorate Victoria Lily Dekic said the Muffin Break store was the type of business where many kids get their first job.
“It’s crucial they provide a safe workplace for young people – it’s what the community expects and what the Wage Inspectorate requires.”
