Former Encompass manager alleged performance reviews doctored so pay rises not triggered

A former manager at Encompass Community Services has cast fresh doubt on workplace practices that has seen staff underpaid.

A FORMER manager at Encompass Community Services who won a significant Fair Work payout in 2019 believes the organisation has underpaid staff for at least six years.

Asked to estimate what is owed to current and former Encompass employees, the staffer believed it would stretch to “hundreds of thousands” dollars, and “would break” the provider of education and training, disability employment services and in-home care when the full extent of the bill is known.

The ex-manager has cast fresh doubt on workplace practices at Encompass and claimed performance reviews were doctored so ratings didn’t reach thresholds required to trigger pay rises.

The Geelong Advertiser is not suggesting the allegation is true only that it has been made.

The allegation, backed by a second former manager, was put to Encompass boss Elaine Robb but board chair Alyson Miller said it was “inappropriate to comment any further” due to a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation launched into the organisation last week.

The female manager who resigned in 2019 after six years said it was “completely false” that some managers didn’t know about the underpayment of staff until this year.

“The only time we were ever paid correctly, in my opinion, was when we were trainees,” the former staff member said.

Encompass has about 200 staff across 14 regions in Victoria including in Geelong and on the Bellarine Peninsula..

A former male manager believed staff had no confidence approaching some managers about their pay rate or award because of fear of losing their job.

The female manager said she believed underpayment of staff would be at its worst among disability care staff.

Encompass CEO Elaine Robb. Picture: Sarah Matray

The female manager’s 2019 Fair Work claim was dealt with in two weeks and resulted in a five-figure pay out.

The woman said her claim, relating to work post 2015, was mediated early last year and involved Ms Robb and operations manager Sadat Hussain.

In the past year Mr Hussain, compliance manager Juanita Miranda, a finance manager and two human resource staff, employed in January, have left Encompass.

Former Encompass Community Services compliance manager Juanita Miranda

Former operations manager at Encompass Community Services Sadat Hussain

Mr Hussain and Ms Miranda have told the Advertiser they don’t want to comment.

In 2019 workplace relations consultant Employsure called in by Encompass found staff were being paid under the wrong classifications resulting in payments below minimum wages set out in awards, and employment contracts did not meet best practice making “ongoing management of employees more difficult, among other workplace issues.

Ms Robb has repeatedly been asked to explain why she didn’t know about the Employsure report until March.

In March consultant HR4 Business started to overhaul Encompass’s human resources department and audit staff pay.

In an earlier statement Ms Robb said she immediately took action once aware of the Employsure report.

“Encompass will make payments where required to its past and present employees in accordance with its obligations under the Fair Work Act 2009. I was made aware of the report from Employsure in March 2021 and immediately engaged external assistance to provide Encompass with advice about its potential liability to its employees and the simplest and most efficient way to address that potential liability.”

Originally published as Former Encompass manager alleged performance reviews doctored so pay rises not triggered