The case involved 43 employees of five entities and two directors where the workers were allegedly cheated of more than A$1.9 million from February 2013 to December 2013. The Federal Circuit Court in 2016 ordered three of the entities to fork over A$1.15 million to the underpaid workers, but determined that the Fair Work Ombudsman did not prove that the directors of these entities were ‘knowingly involved.’
“When the matter was re-heard, the directors claimed that they relied on others to undertake the day-to-day management of human resources within the business,” the law firm notes on its site. “However, the Federal Circuit Court found that it was unnecessary for the directors to have personal knowledge of each employee and the amount of their entitlements in circumstances where they each knew the entitlements were insufficient.”