The former manager of a retail business has been fined $15,000 for his involvement in the underpayment of one of his former sales staff.
Caulfield South man Russell Meerkin, a former manager and part-owner of the company which operated Ken Bruce Sales on Glenferrie Road, Malvern, has been given eight months to pay the fine.
The penalty follows a prosecution by the Fair Work Ombudsman, which had alleged Meerkin was centrally involved in the salesperson being underpaid a total of $25,575 between 2003 and 2008.
The male employee, in his 50s, worked an average 47.5 hours a week from Monday to Saturday. His underpayments related primarily to overtime rates, annual leave entitlements and wages in lieu of notice.
Meerkin was also involved in the company’s failure to keep proper employment records for the employee or issue him with payslips.
The Ken Bruce Sales store in Malvern was sold in late 2008 and the company which operated the business was placed in external administration in February this year.
The liquidator advised the Fair Work Ombudsman there were no funds to reimburse the underpaid employee.
The court instructed that Meerkin’s fine be paid to the former salesperson.