Chorus UFB subcontractor personally liable for employment breaches

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has now penalised a third Chorus subcontractor for employment breaches following a Labour Inspectorate investigation which targeted more than 80 businesses.

To date, the Labour Inspectorate has investigated 77 Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) subcontractors working in the Auckland area and has taken compliance action against 69. Several investigations are still underway.

Last week, A1 Communication Limited and its director Harold Hirdeshwar Deo, were ordered by the ERA to pay a total of $27,200 in penalties after the Chorus subcontractor’s repeated attempts to delay the Labour Inspectorate’s investigation. Mr Deo is personally responsible for $8,000 of these. Personal liability means individuals cannot avoid payments to the ERA even if they close their business.

The Inspectorate visited A1 during a proactive operation in June 2018. The Inspector has repeatedly asked A1 to provide copies of employment records, receiving only excuses and empty promises from Mr Deo.

The Labour Inspectorate has a continuing focus to hold those responsible for employment standards breaches personally to account. During the past year, it has taken 20 cases to the ERA or the Employment Court where directors were made personally responsible for employment law breaches. This totalled more than $760,000 in penalties and wage and holiday pay arrears to workers to be paid by individuals (this includes the $8,000 penalty ordered against Mr Deo).

(All information in this section is courtesy www.employment.govt.nz. The Indian News NZ strongly condemns any form of migrant exploitation in New Zealand.)

-TIN Bureau