7-Eleven operators fined $150,000

By Claire Hibbit

A husband and wife have been penalised $150,000 for underpaying 12 overseas workers at a 7-Eleven store in Melbourne.

The couple Haiyao Xu and Yiran Gu were handed fines of $20,000 each, while their company Hiyi Pty Ltd was given a further $110,000 fine.

The Fair Work Ombudsman took legal action against the franchisees in relation to underpayment of workers at their former Parkville store in Melbourne (the business was sold last year), however, the couple still operate a store in Melbourne’s CBD.

Twelve employees at Parkville were underpaid a total of $84,047 between September 2013 and September 2014. These amounts have now been back-paid in full. The agency has also entered into an enforceable undertaking (EU) with Xu and Gu and their company in relation to underpayments at their city store.