ARTICLE · 10 JUNE 2022

Win for RTBU in underpayment of wages case

Hall Payne Lawyers

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This decision set an important precedent for the process of calculating the quantum of underpayment of wages.

AustraliaEmployment and HR

Madeleine O’Brien

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Hall Payne Lawyers successfully represented the RTBU and its members in Federal Court proceedings against Transit Systems Pty Ltd for failing to pass on annual wage increases. This decision sets an important precedent for the process of calculating the quantum of underpayment of wages in circumstances where the employer has clearly contravened the law, and also for the serious penalties that will be imposed on an employer in those circumstances.

The Federal Court liability decision

In November 2021, the Federal Court decided Transit Systems, a bus operator in Sydney's south and inner west, had systematically underpaid its employees since 1 July 2019. This case was notable for two reasons.

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