Craig Hutchison’s Crocmedia fined for ripping off uni students

CRAIG Hutchison’s company Crocmedia has been fined $24,000 for ripping off students he had working for “expenses” on SEN’s midnight to dawn program.

Former Herald Sun journalist and Crocmedia proprietor Craig Hutchison.

CRAIG Hutchison’s company Crocmedia has been fined $24,000 for ripping off university students he had working for “expenses” on SEN’s midnight to dawn program.

The company called the university students volunteers despite employing them on an ongoing casual basis.

A Federal Circuit Court Judgment, released today found that Crocmedia had failed to pay two workers the minimum wage, penalty rates, casual loading and did not provide pay slips.

Crocmedia was ordered to pay $24,000 penalty for the breaches after the Fair Work Ombudsman took the case to court.

“The employees primarily worked on an ad hoc basis as producers of the “All Night Appetite” (ANA) radio program, which was regularly broadcast on the SEN network from 12:00am to 6:00am,” the judgment said.

“The Respondent (Crocmedia) characterised the employees as “volunteers” for all work performed on the ANA shifts.”

Crocmedia has 46 staff who produce television programs, including TAC Cup Future Stars and Tradeweek Radio.

The company paid the two university students between $75 and $120 for “expenses’ for the overnight shifts.

But last year it was ordered by the Fair Work Ombudsman to pay them wages and reimbursed the students $22,168.08.

They also kept the money that was paid in expenses.

Judge Grant Riethmuller wrote when imposing the fines of $24,000 that he wanted to make a general deterrence.

“The arrangements for work experience interns are a difficult topic within employment systems,” he wrote.

“This case does not involve circumstances where, at the end of the day, the arrangements could, on any view, be categorised as ongoing work experience or internship.

“Profiting from volunteers is not acceptable conduct within the industrial relations scheme applicable in Australia.”

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Originally published as Craig Hutchison’s Crocmedia fined for ripping off uni students