The former owner of Wild Sage Caf in Cammeray will face court after allegedly underpaying a 457 visa holder working as a pastry chef.
It’s alleged that Arthur Antonopolous underpaid the Indian national, aged in her 20s, more than $22,000 in outstanding wages and entitlements. Fair Work is claiming the pastry chef was underpaid her normal hourly rates as well as penalty rates for weekend, public holiday and overtime work between November 2012 and May 2014.
Also facing court is Antonopolous’ company, Blu Hornsby, which sponsored the chef on a 457 skilled worker visa.
After her employment ended, the chef lodged a request for assistance with the Fair Work Ombudsman, and it’s alleged that Antonopolous told inspectors that if Fair Work took legal action against him, he’d place the company into liquidation.
In March, the Fair Work Ombudsman issued a Compliance Notice requiring Antonopolous and Blu Hornsby to rectify the underpayments within 29 days, but they allegedly failed to comply.
Antonopolous now faces a maximum penalty of $5,100 and his company faces a maximum penalty of $25,500. The Ombudsman is also seeking a Court Order for the company to back pay the employee in full.
