Wage Inspectorate Victoria has filed 14 criminal charges in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria against a Barwon Heads fish and chip shop, alleging it contravened state laws relating to child employment permits, rest breaks and hours of work for a child under 15.
It is alleged Mangroves Bar Pty Ltd (trading as Mangroves Bar and Grill) contravened section 9(1) of the Child Employment Act 2003 (the Act) on six occasions by failing to obtain a child employment permit when it allegedly employed a 13-year-old during school holidays in January 2022.
It is also alleged the company contravened section 21 of the Act four times by allowing the child to work shifts of more than six hours. In addition to this, the Wage Inspectorate alleges the company contravened section 22 of the Act four times by failing to provide the child with a rest break.
The maximum penalty for each offence is 100 penalty units ($18,174). If found guilty of all offences, the company faces a fine of more than $250,000.
The matter has been listed for mention in the Magistrates’ Court in Melbourne on 14 November 2022.
This latest court proceeding follows the Wage Inspectorate’s recent campaign focused on regional fast food outlets, restaurants and cafes, which found almost 80 per cent of businesses employing children under 15 were breaking the law because they had failed to apply for a child employment permit.
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