Absynthe Restaurant on Gold Coast fined for underpaying apprentice

The owner of an upmarket French restaurant on the Gold Coast has been slapped with more than $15,000 in fines after underpaying a teenage apprentice chef.

Meyjitte Boughenout, owner of the the Absynthe Restaurant located at the Q1 skyscraper, was fined $2550, while his company was fined $12,750.

The Fair Work Ombudsman took Boughenout to court after he ignored repeated requests and a compliance notice to back-pay an 18-year-old apprentice chef more than $4000.

The apprentice went to the Fair Work Ombudsman for underpaid wages and annual leave entitlements.

Judge Michael Jarrett said in a statement that Boughenout and his company had "demonstrated a deliberate disregard" for workplace laws and had shown no contrition or remorse.

"The respondents did nothing except engage in what might be described as obfuscation and avoidance," he said.

Judge Jarrett said that the penalty "serves as a warning to others" that disregarding compliance notices "may come with a heavy price".

The apprentice has since been paid.

Source : Brisbane Times   January 28th 2015