Pay catch-up for Myer cleaners

Cleaners at several Myer stores will take home more in their weekly pay after the Fair Work Ombudsman found they had been collectively short-changed $6300 in less than a month.

Fair Work ruled last week that Preston- based contractor A&K Saana Services, which was sub-contracted to clean Myer stores at Highpoint and Altona, underpaid two workers and misclassified a number of other staff.

The underpayments were discovered after Fair Work inspectors made an unannounced site visit to one of the stores at 6am late last year.

Two cleaners were each earning $17 an hour, regardless of the hours and days they worked. Both should have been on at least $22.51.

Inspectors also identified that nine staff had been short-changed amounts ranging from $225 to $1009 for the pay period May 4-31 this year.

They were underpaid their minimum hourly rate, minimum four-hour engagement period, broken shift allowances, penalty rates for early and late shifts, overtime rates and penalties for weekend and public holiday work.

As a result of the contraventions, A&K director Admir Kolakovic entered into an enforceable undertaking with the Fair Work ombudsman to ensure compliance with workplace laws.

Information at www.fairwork.gov.au or call 13 13 94 for advice.