Are you receiving the award wage? Or as an employer of a visa holder, are you paying them enough?
It’s a question that accompanied last week’s visit by Fair Work and sought to highlight the exploitation of young, vulnerable workers who work in the hospitality, agriculture or retail sectors. Fair Work is a federal agency that monitors and prosecutes employers that underpay workers.
Overseas Workers’ team director Carey Trundle told The Echo the visit was part of a year-long inquiry into the wages and conditions of overseas workers on 417 working holiday visa. ‘We are responding to allegations that some unscrupulous employers are exploiting backpackers on working holidays.’ To see if you are being paid award rates, and also to see what you should be paying staff, visit www.fairwork.gov.au.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
