Sydney restaurant and shisha bar manager in court
The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against the former manager of two restaurant-and-shisha-lounge outlets in Sydney, for an alleged breach impacting 69 workers.
Facing court is Simon Jabbour, who formerly managed the two outlets, trading as Nara Lounge, at Hurstville in southern Sydney and Pendle Hill in western Sydney.
The company that formerly operated the outlets, NLHR Management Pty Ltd, is now in liquidation. The Hurstville and Pendle Hill outlets are now closed. Mr Jabbour was the director of that company before it went into liquidation.
Fair Work Inspectors visited the Nara Lounge outlets during a proactive auditing campaign and subsequently commenced an investigation.
A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice to NLHR Management in December 2024 after forming a belief the company had underpaid 69 workers at the two Nara Lounge outlets between 2022 and 2024.
The workers included several visa holders and young workers.
The inspector formed a belief the workers were variously underpaid minimum wage rates for ordinary hours, penalty rates for weekend and public holiday work, and annual leave entitlements.
The entitlements were allegedly owed under the Restaurant Industry Award 2020 and the Fair Work Act’s National Employment Standards.
The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges Mr Jabbour, without a reasonable excuse, was involved in failing to comply with the Compliance Notice, which required the calculation and back-payment of the workers’ entitlements.
Acting Fair Work Ombudsman Rachel Volzke said the federal regulator would continue to take employers and those involved to court where lawful requests are not complied with.
“Taking action to improve compliance in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector as a whole, and to deter breaches impacting young workers and visa holders, is a priority for the Fair Work Ombudsman,” Ms Volzke said.
“Managers should take note that we can pursue penalties against them for their alleged involvement in breaches, even if the company has been put into liquidation.
“Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance.”
The FWO is seeking a penalty against Mr Jabbour in court for his alleged involvement in the failure to comply with the Compliance Notice. He faces a penalty of up to $19,800.
It is alleged that the amount NLHR Management was required to pay the workers to comply with the Compliance Notice was $184,806, and that $181,737 remains outstanding. NLHR Management being placed into liquidation has restricted the Fair Work Ombudsman’s ability to secure back-payment for the workers.
A directions hearing is listed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Sydney on 29 May 2026.
Employers and employees can visit www.fairwork.gov.au or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for free advice and assistance about their rights and obligations in the workplace.
A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50. Employees can also seek information from their employer and their union, if they are a union member.
Information is available for employees and employers on our young workers and students and apprentices and trainees webpages.
In 2024-25, the FWO secured total court penalties of more than $870,000 for failures to comply with Compliance Notices.
The Fair Work Ombudsman filed 171 litigations against employers involving visa holder workers, and secured $39 million in penalties in cases that have included visa holder workers, in the eight financial years to June 2025.
Fair Work Ombudsman, 4th May 2026
