05/08/2022
Scenario: James works at a local restaurant. His employer pays him the correct minimum wages from the Restaurant Award. But on pay day, he’s told to withdraw some of his pay from the ATM and pay it back in cash off the books. His employer says they’ll find someone else who’ll agree to work for less if he doesn’t and as James is afraid of losing his job, he pays back some of his wage.
Sound legit? Absolutely not, unreasonably being required to pay back a part of your wage is never okay. This is called a cashback scheme.
Employers can’t unreasonably force an employee to spend or pay the employee’s own money, for the employer’s benefit. It’s also unlawful for employees to be threatened with losing their jobs unless they pay money.
Learn more about cashback schemes and how to get help on our website: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/deducting-pay-and-overpayments -back
