Tarneit Painting Company Faces Steep Penalties for Breaching Fair Work Laws and Neglecting Worker's Compensation and Leave Entitlements
A Tarneit painting company, operating under the name Paint Splash and owned by Mehtaab Group Pty Ltd, has been hit with penalties totaling over $57,000 by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed a $47,952 penalty on Mehtaab Group Pty Ltd and a $9,590.04 penalty on the company’s sole director and shareholder, Vikramjeet Singh Khalsa.
The penalties were imposed due to the company’s failure to comply with a Fair Work Commission order to pay $21,491.17 in compensation to a migrant worker following an unfair dismissal claim. Additionally, the company failed to meet the requirements of a Fair Work Ombudsman Compliance Notice to pay the worker’s outstanding annual leave entitlements. Mr. Khalsa was found to be involved in both breaches, leading to penalties against him as well.
The affected worker, an Indian international student, had been employed by Mehtaab Group for nearly a year. In addition to the penalties, the Court has ordered Mehtaab Group to pay the outstanding compensation ordered by the Fair Work Commission, along with superannuation, and to calculate and back-pay the owed annual leave entitlements.
Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker stressed the importance of complying with Fair Work Commission orders and Compliance Notices. She reiterated that the regulator would take legal action to ensure that employees receive the compensation and entitlements they are entitled to under the law. Parker encouraged employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements to seek free advice and assistance from the Fair Work Ombudsman.
The investigation into the matter was initiated after the affected worker sought assistance from the Fair Work Ombudsman. In June 2021, the Fair Work Commission determined that Mehtaab Group had unfairly dismissed the worker and ordered the company to pay compensation within two weeks. However, the company failed to make the required payments, leading to the Ombudsman’s involvement. Despite attempts at voluntary compliance, the company did not rectify the situation. In September 2021, a Compliance Notice was issued, directing Mehtaab Group to calculate and back-pay the worker’s outstanding annual leave entitlements.
