It’s a new day in Australia, and yet another corporate giant is fessing up to underpaying staff to the tune of millions. This time, its major retail conglomerate Wesfarmers, which owns Target, Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks, and more.
In the words of DJ Khalid: “Another one.”
Wesfarmers announced it had been underpaying Target staff by $9 million in the company’s half-year earnings report on Wednesday morning.
“Immediate steps are being taken to rectify identified issues, notify and repay affected team members, including interest, and ensure accuracy in the future through a robust program of auditing and monitoring,” chief executive Rob Scott said, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
The error was discovered in an audit after Wesfarmers found it had been underpaying Bunnings staff to the tune of $6.1 million last November, which it blamed on an error in its payroll system.
Wesfarmers said it had not identified any other underpayments at its other businesses.
Coles, Woolworths, the ABC and Flight Centre have all been caught up in underpayment dramas in recent months.
Just yesterday, Coles admitted to underpaying staff in its supermarket and liquor stores to the tune of $20 million.
“Yet another large, listed Australian company has underpaid employees millions of dollars, and in this case they chose to inform us only moments before their financial results announcement,” the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Sandra Parker said yesterday.
“I am calling on boards to seek assurances from their chief executive officers that wages are being paid to employees in accordance with the law. The buck ultimately stops with the chair.”
