One of Australia's largest almond growers will have to pay staff more than $500,000 after years of underpayments.
Brownport Almonds Pty Ltd, trading under the Bright Light brand, underpaid 197 current and former employees between 2016 and 2021.
The company conducted the payroll audit after the Fair Work Ombudsman began investigating its compliance with workplace laws in May 2021.
Investigators found the Victorian-based business had been misclassifying workers, paying them at a level one rate even when they were entitled to more because they were performing higher duties.
They were also paid a flat rate without penalties even when they were required to work overtime or do shiftwork.
In total, the company underpaid staff $501,511 over the five-year period.
Staff will receive back-payments from anywhere between $4 and $12,500.
Brownport Almonds has already paid back the large majority of employees but remaining staff will need to be paid by the end of January, the ombudsman's enforceable undertaking states.
The company will have to make interest payments to all affected employees and pay $50,000 to the Commonwealth's Consolidated Revenue Fund.
