Last month, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) announced its decision to reduce penalty rates over a four-year period from 1 July, 2017, and JB Hi-Fi has confirmed its decision not to pass on the penalty rate cuts across its entire workforce.
JB Hi Fi CEO Richard Murray told Retailbiz sister publication Appliance Retailer, “In early June 2017 JB Hi-Fi Group announced internally we would maintain penalty rates for all team members employed at 30 June 2017 across JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys businesses.
“As a leadership team we gave careful consideration to the potential impact of the Fair Work Decision on the Group and our people and decided the best outcome for our existing team members was to maintain their current pay and conditions.”
Staff employed after 1 July, 2017 will receive terms and condition that reflect the Fair Work ruling.
“We are always transparent with staff. Existing staff would be losing a benefit that was already in their remuneration whereas a new employee makes a choice whether they feel the Group offers competitive remuneration under the award,” he said.
“We are also proud that this year the JB Hi-Fi business reached 79 per cent participation in our Workplace Giving Program Helping Hands. This means each week nearly 6,000 of the JB Hi-Fi team donate to nine charity partners. Donations are matched dollar for dollar by the business.
“Since the program was launched in 2008, together we have raised over $13.2 million for our Charity Partners, with $2.6 million in 2017 alone. In July, The Good Guys team launched their Workplace Giving Program and we are really excited about this initiative. Since 2006, The Good Guys has donated over $10 million to various charity partners.
“As a separate point of clarity, JB and TGG staff are on the Modern Retail Award and we do not have EBA’s in place,” Murray added.
This story originally appeared on Appliance Retailer.
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