The Fair Work Ombudsman has published the results of a national education and compliance campaign launched into the vehicle repair and maintenance industry, finding startlingly low compliance rates throughout the country.

 

Fair Work inspectors audited 759 employers in the sector around the country, finding that only 59 per cent were compliant with workplace laws, while 41 per cent recorded contraventions.

 

Audited businesses included mechanics, panel beaters, car washers, crash repair specialists, paint and interior repair specialists, windscreen repairers, auto electricians and tow-bar fitters.

 

Tasmania was the one exception, recording a 100 per cent compliance rate. The Northern Territory posted an 88 per cent compliance rate, while Queensland recorded 64 per cent, South Australia 61 per cent, Western Australia 57 per cent, ACT 50 per cent, NSW 39 per cent and Victoria 38 per cent.

 

One hundred and forty-four employers were found to have underpaid 230 employees a total of $200,000, while a further 170 employers were found to have record-keeping and/or pay slip contraventions.

 

More than half of the campaign audits were conducted in Queensland, where the Fair Work Ombudsman recovered $117,692 for 142 employees from 79 different businesses.

 

A total of $37,623 was recovered for 46 employees in NSW, $18,509 for 18 employees in Victoria, $12,921 for 10 employees in Western Australia, $10,475 for 11 employees in South Australia and $3679 for three employees in the ACT.

 

The full report can be found here