Members, we bring you a surprising turn of events – a scandalous revelation that has come to light regarding one of our country's largest supermarket chains, Coles.

It appears that Coles has admitted to yet another $25 million in underpaid wages! This recent discovery comes on top of the already acknowledged $20 million in underpayments identified back in 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Coles shortchanged approximately 600 salaried managers. This prompted a thorough review of payment arrangements for all salaried staff covered by the General Retail Industry Award (GRIA).

The story doesn't end here, though. In 2021, Coles incurred $13 million in remediation costs and set aside a further $12 million as a provision. However, ongoing investigations have discovered that the owed amount has climbed to an extra $25 million for salaried managers.

This shocking news follows the recent confession by global mining giant BHP, which admitted to owing 28,500 workers up to $430 million in back pay due to miscalculations of public holiday leave over several years.

Coles is the latest company to admit it must cough up money for underpaying workers. Credit: Shutterstock.

The underpayment fiasco involving Coles has given rise to a class action that accuses the supermarket giant of underpaying staff by a whopping $150 million. Furthermore, a separate legal action has been initiated by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.

According to the Ombudsman, 7,805 salaried employees were underpaid, a staggering $113.8 million, with about $107 million remaining outstanding. Underpayments reportedly range from insufficient salaries covering overtime work to amounts under the company's remediation program.

Coles, acknowledging its mistake, announced on Friday an additional $25 million provision to compensate the underpaid salaried employees. In an ASX announcement, they stated, 'Coles has continued to work diligently in relation to these issues.'

'Coles advises that following further consideration of the issues as they have evolved, it intends to conduct further remediation relating to the reconciliation of available records of the days and hours of work of salaried supermarket managers.'

'Coles apologises unreservedly to affected team members,' they continued.

Key Takeaways

• Coles supermarket admits to underpaying workers an additional $25 million, following their initial $20 million underpayment revelation in 2020.
• The underpayment scandal has sparked a class action and a separate legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.
• Coles announced an additional $25 million provision to compensate underpaid salaried employees and issued an apology to affected team members.
• The supermarket giant is awaiting the court's decision on other matters, including the interpretation of the General Retail Industry Award and Fair Work Act.

In February, it was revealed that two of Australia's largest fashion retailers would compensate their employees for underpayments, totalling over $4 million, affecting approximately 7,000 workers.

Both David Jones, a department store, and Politix, a fashion retailer under the Country Road brand, admitted to underpaying their staff. As part of their restitution, they will also make a combined contrition payment of nearly $300,000.

Two of Australia's biggest fashion retailers will pay back more than $4 million to 7000 employees who were underpaid. Credit: Unsplash/Dylandgillis.

These discrepancies were reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman by the companies in September 2020. The underpayments extended beyond Politix, as the Country Road Group, encompassing brands such as Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, and Mimco, also experienced similar issues.

Politix acknowledged that approximately 850 employees were underpaid a total of around $2.06 million in wages, along with approximately $45,000 in superannuation contributions, spanning from November 2016 to September 2020.

In the case of David Jones, roughly 2,800 employees were affected, with a total underpayment of approximately $480,000 in wages. Additionally, around $1.4 million in superannuation was not properly provided to approximately 6,100 employees. These discrepancies occurred between April 2014 and September 2020.

Coles now awaits the court's decision concerning other matters, including the interpretation of the GRIA and Fair Work Act. We at the Seniors Discount Club will continue to monitor this situation and keep our members updated on any further developments.

Stay tuned, and don't forget to share this information with your fellow members and friends, ensuring we all remain in the know about the businesses we support.

What are your thoughts on this news, members? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Shane/#]

Members, we bring you a surprising turn of events – a scandalous revelation that has come to light regarding one of our country's largest supermarket chains, Coles.

It appears that Coles has admitted to yet another $25 million in underpaid wages! This recent discovery comes on top of the already acknowledged $20 million in underpayments identified back in 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Coles shortchanged approximately 600 salaried managers. This prompted a thorough review of payment arrangements for all salaried staff covered by the General Retail Industry Award (GRIA).

The story doesn't end here, though. In 2021, Coles incurred $13 million in remediation costs and set aside a further $12 million as a provision. However, ongoing investigations have discovered that the owed amount has climbed to an extra $25 million for salaried managers.

This shocking news follows the recent confession by global mining giant BHP, which admitted to owing 28,500 workers up to $430 million in back pay due to miscalculations of public holiday leave over several years.

View attachment 21477

Coles is the latest company to admit it must cough up money for underpaying workers. Credit: Shutterstock.

The underpayment fiasco involving Coles has given rise to a class action that accuses the supermarket giant of underpaying staff by a whopping $150 million. Furthermore, a separate legal action has been initiated by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.

According to the Ombudsman, 7,805 salaried employees were underpaid, a staggering $113.8 million, with about $107 million remaining outstanding. Underpayments reportedly range from insufficient salaries covering overtime work to amounts under the company's remediation program.

Coles, acknowledging its mistake, announced on Friday an additional $25 million provision to compensate the underpaid salaried employees. In an ASX announcement, they stated, 'Coles has continued to work diligently in relation to these issues.'

'Coles advises that following further consideration of the issues as they have evolved, it intends to conduct further remediation relating to the reconciliation of available records of the days and hours of work of salaried supermarket managers.'

'Coles apologises unreservedly to affected team members,' they continued.

Key Takeaways

• Coles supermarket admits to underpaying workers an additional $25 million, following their initial $20 million underpayment revelation in 2020.
• The underpayment scandal has sparked a class action and a separate legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.
• Coles announced an additional $25 million provision to compensate underpaid salaried employees and issued an apology to affected team members.
• The supermarket giant is awaiting the court's decision on other matters, including the interpretation of the General Retail Industry Award and Fair Work Act.

In February, it was revealed that two of Australia's largest fashion retailers would compensate their employees for underpayments, totalling over $4 million, affecting approximately 7,000 workers.

Both David Jones, a department store, and Politix, a fashion retailer under the Country Road brand, admitted to underpaying their staff. As part of their restitution, they will also make a combined contrition payment of nearly $300,000.

View attachment 21478

Two of Australia's biggest fashion retailers will pay back more than $4 million to 7000 employees who were underpaid. Credit: Unsplash/Dylandgillis.

These discrepancies were reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman by the companies in September 2020. The underpayments extended beyond Politix, as the Country Road Group, encompassing brands such as Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, and Mimco, also experienced similar issues.

Politix acknowledged that approximately 850 employees were underpaid a total of around $2.06 million in wages, along with approximately $45,000 in superannuation contributions, spanning from November 2016 to September 2020.

In the case of David Jones, roughly 2,800 employees were affected, with a total underpayment of approximately $480,000 in wages. Additionally, around $1.4 million in superannuation was not properly provided to approximately 6,100 employees. These discrepancies occurred between April 2014 and September 2020.

Coles now awaits the court's decision concerning other matters, including the interpretation of the GRIA and Fair Work Act. We at the Seniors Discount Club will continue to monitor this situation and keep our members updated on any further developments.

Stay tuned, and don't forget to share this information with your fellow members and friends, ensuring we all remain in the know about the businesses we support.

What are your thoughts on this news, members? Let us know in the comments section below!

Guarantee the CEO wasn't underpaid bloody scum hope you parasites get fined millions even a billion and that would get you motivated to pay correct wages

 

[Mina vriesekolk]

It is disgrace that they got away for so long .
Also charging customers the high price for their produce. It would be something if they good make it up tp a lot of reliable customers who are trying to meet ends.

 

[Free.lander]

Members, we bring you a surprising turn of events – a scandalous revelation that has come to light regarding one of our country's largest supermarket chains, Coles.

It appears that Coles has admitted to yet another $25 million in underpaid wages! This recent discovery comes on top of the already acknowledged $20 million in underpayments identified back in 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Coles shortchanged approximately 600 salaried managers. This prompted a thorough review of payment arrangements for all salaried staff covered by the General Retail Industry Award (GRIA).

The story doesn't end here, though. In 2021, Coles incurred $13 million in remediation costs and set aside a further $12 million as a provision. However, ongoing investigations have discovered that the owed amount has climbed to an extra $25 million for salaried managers.

This shocking news follows the recent confession by global mining giant BHP, which admitted to owing 28,500 workers up to $430 million in back pay due to miscalculations of public holiday leave over several years.

View attachment 21477

Coles is the latest company to admit it must cough up money for underpaying workers. Credit: Shutterstock.

The underpayment fiasco involving Coles has given rise to a class action that accuses the supermarket giant of underpaying staff by a whopping $150 million. Furthermore, a separate legal action has been initiated by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.

According to the Ombudsman, 7,805 salaried employees were underpaid, a staggering $113.8 million, with about $107 million remaining outstanding. Underpayments reportedly range from insufficient salaries covering overtime work to amounts under the company's remediation program.

Coles, acknowledging its mistake, announced on Friday an additional $25 million provision to compensate the underpaid salaried employees. In an ASX announcement, they stated, 'Coles has continued to work diligently in relation to these issues.'

'Coles advises that following further consideration of the issues as they have evolved, it intends to conduct further remediation relating to the reconciliation of available records of the days and hours of work of salaried supermarket managers.'

'Coles apologises unreservedly to affected team members,' they continued.

Key Takeaways

• Coles supermarket admits to underpaying workers an additional $25 million, following their initial $20 million underpayment revelation in 2020.
• The underpayment scandal has sparked a class action and a separate legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.
• Coles announced an additional $25 million provision to compensate underpaid salaried employees and issued an apology to affected team members.
• The supermarket giant is awaiting the court's decision on other matters, including the interpretation of the General Retail Industry Award and Fair Work Act.

In February, it was revealed that two of Australia's largest fashion retailers would compensate their employees for underpayments, totalling over $4 million, affecting approximately 7,000 workers.

Both David Jones, a department store, and Politix, a fashion retailer under the Country Road brand, admitted to underpaying their staff. As part of their restitution, they will also make a combined contrition payment of nearly $300,000.

View attachment 21478

Two of Australia's biggest fashion retailers will pay back more than $4 million to 7000 employees who were underpaid. Credit: Unsplash/Dylandgillis.

These discrepancies were reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman by the companies in September 2020. The underpayments extended beyond Politix, as the Country Road Group, encompassing brands such as Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, and Mimco, also experienced similar issues.

Politix acknowledged that approximately 850 employees were underpaid a total of around $2.06 million in wages, along with approximately $45,000 in superannuation contributions, spanning from November 2016 to September 2020.

In the case of David Jones, roughly 2,800 employees were affected, with a total underpayment of approximately $480,000 in wages. Additionally, around $1.4 million in superannuation was not properly provided to approximately 6,100 employees. These discrepancies occurred between April 2014 and September 2020.

Coles now awaits the court's decision concerning other matters, including the interpretation of the GRIA and Fair Work Act. We at the Seniors Discount Club will continue to monitor this situation and keep our members updated on any further developments.

Stay tuned, and don't forget to share this information with your fellow members and friends, ensuring we all remain in the know about the businesses we support.

What are your thoughts on this news, members? Let us know in the comments section below!

Accounting is a difficult for small businesses but when it comes to massive profit organizations, who have the manpower and resources to ensure that everything is above board, there is no excuse so it amounts to grand theft.
TO make it worse many of the then employees are nor retirees and senior members and those stolen wages would have included super payments that also went missing.
Again the members will miss out because they will get the missing wages , less that massive tax hit, the alteration of the deeming levels and the missing interest from the super funds.
Nothing short of the board members , CEO's and accountants going to jail is acceptable, as a wet lettuce leaf apology doesn't cut it.

 

[riskydave]

They hav

Members, we bring you a surprising turn of events – a scandalous revelation that has come to light regarding one of our country's largest supermarket chains, Coles.

It appears that Coles has admitted to yet another $25 million in underpaid wages! This recent discovery comes on top of the already acknowledged $20 million in underpayments identified back in 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Coles shortchanged approximately 600 salaried managers. This prompted a thorough review of payment arrangements for all salaried staff covered by the General Retail Industry Award (GRIA).

The story doesn't end here, though. In 2021, Coles incurred $13 million in remediation costs and set aside a further $12 million as a provision. However, ongoing investigations have discovered that the owed amount has climbed to an extra $25 million for salaried managers.

This shocking news follows the recent confession by global mining giant BHP, which admitted to owing 28,500 workers up to $430 million in back pay due to miscalculations of public holiday leave over several years.

View attachment 21477

Coles is the latest company to admit it must cough up money for underpaying workers. Credit: Shutterstock.

The underpayment fiasco involving Coles has given rise to a class action that accuses the supermarket giant of underpaying staff by a whopping $150 million. Furthermore, a separate legal action has been initiated by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.

According to the Ombudsman, 7,805 salaried employees were underpaid, a staggering $113.8 million, with about $107 million remaining outstanding. Underpayments reportedly range from insufficient salaries covering overtime work to amounts under the company's remediation program.

Coles, acknowledging its mistake, announced on Friday an additional $25 million provision to compensate the underpaid salaried employees. In an ASX announcement, they stated, 'Coles has continued to work diligently in relation to these issues.'

'Coles advises that following further consideration of the issues as they have evolved, it intends to conduct further remediation relating to the reconciliation of available records of the days and hours of work of salaried supermarket managers.'

'Coles apologises unreservedly to affected team members,' they continued.

Key Takeaways

• Coles supermarket admits to underpaying workers an additional $25 million, following their initial $20 million underpayment revelation in 2020.
• The underpayment scandal has sparked a class action and a separate legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.
• Coles announced an additional $25 million provision to compensate underpaid salaried employees and issued an apology to affected team members.
• The supermarket giant is awaiting the court's decision on other matters, including the interpretation of the General Retail Industry Award and Fair Work Act.

In February, it was revealed that two of Australia's largest fashion retailers would compensate their employees for underpayments, totalling over $4 million, affecting approximately 7,000 workers.

Both David Jones, a department store, and Politix, a fashion retailer under the Country Road brand, admitted to underpaying their staff. As part of their restitution, they will also make a combined contrition payment of nearly $300,000.

View attachment 21478

Two of Australia's biggest fashion retailers will pay back more than $4 million to 7000 employees who were underpaid. Credit: Unsplash/Dylandgillis.

These discrepancies were reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman by the companies in September 2020. The underpayments extended beyond Politix, as the Country Road Group, encompassing brands such as Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, and Mimco, also experienced similar issues.

Politix acknowledged that approximately 850 employees were underpaid a total of around $2.06 million in wages, along with approximately $45,000 in superannuation contributions, spanning from November 2016 to September 2020.

In the case of David Jones, roughly 2,800 employees were affected, with a total underpayment of approximately $480,000 in wages. Additionally, around $1.4 million in superannuation was not properly provided to approximately 6,100 employees. These discrepancies occurred between April 2014 and September 2020.

Coles now awaits the court's decision concerning other matters, including the interpretation of the GRIA and Fair Work Act. We at the Seniors Discount Club will continue to monitor this situation and keep our members updated on any further developments.

Stay tuned, and don't forget to share this information with your fellow members and friends, ensuring we all remain in the know about the businesses we support.

What are your thoughts on this news, members? Let us know in the comments section below!

They have obviously been caught out, not a chance these two would admit to it unless they had been caught.

 

[Rainy]

Members, we bring you a surprising turn of events – a scandalous revelation that has come to light regarding one of our country's largest supermarket chains, Coles.

It appears that Coles has admitted to yet another $25 million in underpaid wages! This recent discovery comes on top of the already acknowledged $20 million in underpayments identified back in 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Coles shortchanged approximately 600 salaried managers. This prompted a thorough review of payment arrangements for all salaried staff covered by the General Retail Industry Award (GRIA).

The story doesn't end here, though. In 2021, Coles incurred $13 million in remediation costs and set aside a further $12 million as a provision. However, ongoing investigations have discovered that the owed amount has climbed to an extra $25 million for salaried managers.

This shocking news follows the recent confession by global mining giant BHP, which admitted to owing 28,500 workers up to $430 million in back pay due to miscalculations of public holiday leave over several years.

View attachment 21477

Coles is the latest company to admit it must cough up money for underpaying workers. Credit: Shutterstock.

The underpayment fiasco involving Coles has given rise to a class action that accuses the supermarket giant of underpaying staff by a whopping $150 million. Furthermore, a separate legal action has been initiated by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.

According to the Ombudsman, 7,805 salaried employees were underpaid, a staggering $113.8 million, with about $107 million remaining outstanding. Underpayments reportedly range from insufficient salaries covering overtime work to amounts under the company's remediation program.

Coles, acknowledging its mistake, announced on Friday an additional $25 million provision to compensate the underpaid salaried employees. In an ASX announcement, they stated, 'Coles has continued to work diligently in relation to these issues.'

'Coles advises that following further consideration of the issues as they have evolved, it intends to conduct further remediation relating to the reconciliation of available records of the days and hours of work of salaried supermarket managers.'

'Coles apologises unreservedly to affected team members,' they continued.

Key Takeaways

• Coles supermarket admits to underpaying workers an additional $25 million, following their initial $20 million underpayment revelation in 2020.
• The underpayment scandal has sparked a class action and a separate legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.
• Coles announced an additional $25 million provision to compensate underpaid salaried employees and issued an apology to affected team members.
• The supermarket giant is awaiting the court's decision on other matters, including the interpretation of the General Retail Industry Award and Fair Work Act.

In February, it was revealed that two of Australia's largest fashion retailers would compensate their employees for underpayments, totalling over $4 million, affecting approximately 7,000 workers.

Both David Jones, a department store, and Politix, a fashion retailer under the Country Road brand, admitted to underpaying their staff. As part of their restitution, they will also make a combined contrition payment of nearly $300,000.

View attachment 21478

Two of Australia's biggest fashion retailers will pay back more than $4 million to 7000 employees who were underpaid. Credit: Unsplash/Dylandgillis.

These discrepancies were reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman by the companies in September 2020. The underpayments extended beyond Politix, as the Country Road Group, encompassing brands such as Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, and Mimco, also experienced similar issues.

Politix acknowledged that approximately 850 employees were underpaid a total of around $2.06 million in wages, along with approximately $45,000 in superannuation contributions, spanning from November 2016 to September 2020.

In the case of David Jones, roughly 2,800 employees were affected, with a total underpayment of approximately $480,000 in wages. Additionally, around $1.4 million in superannuation was not properly provided to approximately 6,100 employees. These discrepancies occurred between April 2014 and September 2020.

Coles now awaits the court's decision concerning other matters, including the interpretation of the GRIA and Fair Work Act. We at the Seniors Discount Club will continue to monitor this situation and keep our members updated on any further developments.

Stay tuned, and don't forget to share this information with your fellow members and friends, ensuring we all remain in the know about the businesses we support.

What are your thoughts on this news, members? Let us know in the

 

[Rainy]

As with other industries they are testing to see what they can get away with. Until Coles & Co address this I will be Boycotting Coles.

 

[Trudi]

Accounting is a difficult for small businesses but when it comes to massive profit organizations, who have the manpower and resources to ensure that everything is above board, there is no excuse so it amounts to grand theft.
TO make it worse many of the then employees are nor retirees and senior members and those stolen wages would have included super payments that also went missing.
Again the members will miss out because they will get the missing wages , less that massive tax hit, the alteration of the deeming levels and the missing interest from the super funds.
Nothing short of the board members , CEO's and accountants going to jail is acceptable, as a wet lettuce leaf apology doesn't cut it.

Payroll is managed by the Human Resources department not accountants!

 

[Rainy]

Payroll is managed by the Human Resources department not accountants!

Aka lawyers.

 

[ColMack]

Looks like Bye Bye COLES .... or is it just bad luck their Management can't have SDA protection like the Workers. Just saying, they clearly can't keep abusing workers rights, this includes management.

 

[Rainy]

Boycott Coles. Join local cooperatives or market garden groups. Network with friends who do. Find a farmer friend.

 

[Free.lander]

Payroll is managed by the Human Resources department not accountants!

The accountant signs the pay slips and payment authority.

 

[Trudi]

Aka lawyers.

I have yet to meet a lawyer within a HR department!

 

[Trudi]

The accountant signs the pay slips and payment authority.

As a former accountant in a large organisation, the only payslips that ever reached the accounting team were their own.

 

[waynegjones]

Coles have been getting away with this practice with management staff going back to the 80's, I remember working for them and it was expected that you work whatever was required to run the store and get the job done. Just in time managements system, 40 cartons an hour carton rates (everything had to be priced back then), then clean up. All senior managers and even night shift manager had to stay until the job was done, you could easy work an extra 20 hours week for nothing to get head in this type of work. This was not only Coles, Jewel, Bi Low, Franklin just to name a few also did the same.

 

[mylittletibbies]

Payroll is managed by the Human Resources department not accountants!

And the Human Resources Dept doesn't employ accountants???
Who do they employ, garbage collectors???

 

[Trudi]

Coles have been getting away with this practice with management staff going back to the 80's, I remember working for them and it was expected that you work whatever was required to run the store and get the job done. Just in time managements system, 40 cartons an hour carton rates (everything had to be priced back then), then clean up. All senior managers and even night shift manager had to stay until the job was done, you could easy work an extra 20 hours week for nothing to get head in this type of work. This was not only Coles, Jewel, Bi Low, Franklin just to name a few also did the same.

Show me one management job that is for less than 50 hours per week! Compensation for the extra work? What's that?

 

[Nana Zorak]

That is only one reason that I don't & never will shop at Coles. Plus the fact that I don't like the layout of the store nearest to me.

 

[mylittletibbies]

How convenient for these big conglomerates to "mistakenly forget" to pay employees such a massive amount over a period of years.
Imagine how much interest that money accumulated over that time!!!
As I said, how convenient.

 

[MelodyC🇦🇺]

Members, we bring you a surprising turn of events – a scandalous revelation that has come to light regarding one of our country's largest supermarket chains, Coles.

It appears that Coles has admitted to yet another $25 million in underpaid wages! This recent discovery comes on top of the already acknowledged $20 million in underpayments identified back in 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Coles shortchanged approximately 600 salaried managers. This prompted a thorough review of payment arrangements for all salaried staff covered by the General Retail Industry Award (GRIA).

The story doesn't end here, though. In 2021, Coles incurred $13 million in remediation costs and set aside a further $12 million as a provision. However, ongoing investigations have discovered that the owed amount has climbed to an extra $25 million for salaried managers.

This shocking news follows the recent confession by global mining giant BHP, which admitted to owing 28,500 workers up to $430 million in back pay due to miscalculations of public holiday leave over several years.

View attachment 21477

Coles is the latest company to admit it must cough up money for underpaying workers. Credit: Shutterstock.

The underpayment fiasco involving Coles has given rise to a class action that accuses the supermarket giant of underpaying staff by a whopping $150 million. Furthermore, a separate legal action has been initiated by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.

According to the Ombudsman, 7,805 salaried employees were underpaid, a staggering $113.8 million, with about $107 million remaining outstanding. Underpayments reportedly range from insufficient salaries covering overtime work to amounts under the company's remediation program.

Coles, acknowledging its mistake, announced on Friday an additional $25 million provision to compensate the underpaid salaried employees. In an ASX announcement, they stated, 'Coles has continued to work diligently in relation to these issues.'

'Coles advises that following further consideration of the issues as they have evolved, it intends to conduct further remediation relating to the reconciliation of available records of the days and hours of work of salaried supermarket managers.'

'Coles apologises unreservedly to affected team members,' they continued.

Key Takeaways

• Coles supermarket admits to underpaying workers an additional $25 million, following their initial $20 million underpayment revelation in 2020.
• The underpayment scandal has sparked a class action and a separate legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court.
• Coles announced an additional $25 million provision to compensate underpaid salaried employees and issued an apology to affected team members.
• The supermarket giant is awaiting the court's decision on other matters, including the interpretation of the General Retail Industry Award and Fair Work Act.

In February, it was revealed that two of Australia's largest fashion retailers would compensate their employees for underpayments, totalling over $4 million, affecting approximately 7,000 workers.

Both David Jones, a department store, and Politix, a fashion retailer under the Country Road brand, admitted to underpaying their staff. As part of their restitution, they will also make a combined contrition payment of nearly $300,000.

View attachment 21478

Two of Australia's biggest fashion retailers will pay back more than $4 million to 7000 employees who were underpaid. Credit: Unsplash/Dylandgillis.

These discrepancies were reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman by the companies in September 2020. The underpayments extended beyond Politix, as the Country Road Group, encompassing brands such as Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, and Mimco, also experienced similar issues.

Politix acknowledged that approximately 850 employees were underpaid a total of around $2.06 million in wages, along with approximately $45,000 in superannuation contributions, spanning from November 2016 to September 2020.

In the case of David Jones, roughly 2,800 employees were affected, with a total underpayment of approximately $480,000 in wages. Additionally, around $1.4 million in superannuation was not properly provided to approximately 6,100 employees. These discrepancies occurred between April 2014 and September 2020.

Coles now awaits the court's decision concerning other matters, including the interpretation of the GRIA and Fair Work Act. We at the Seniors Discount Club will continue to monitor this situation and keep our members updated on any further developments.

Stay tuned, and don't forget to share this information with your fellow members and friends, ensuring we all remain in the know about the businesses we support.

What are your thoughts on this news, members? Let us know in the comments section below!

The first step towards the solution is acknowledgement, which Coles has done.