Former employees allege they were paid under incorrect awards and penalty rates and were not given overtime pay despite some workers clocking fortnights exceeding 190 hours.
Ex-employee Jeco Makatoa began as a disability support worker with Care Group NSW in August 2020, before becoming a team leader in August 2021.Instagram/@adellefonofaleHe said while he was underpaid and working long hours, he often saw his boss’“They’re sitting courtside at Lakers games in LA, while we’re doing these double shifts,” Makatoa said.
Makatoa also believes he was performing work at a higher level than the award classification acknowledged by Care Group NSW, which meant he was given a significantly lower rate of pay.“It’s either I did it because no one else was willing to put their hand ups. There was no other staff. They kept telling us they were putting staff on and they never did.”
Banfield approached the Australian Services Union after his concerns of alleged underpayment were ignored. “It was really bad. I had gotten a personal loan for something else but I got the money as soon as my hours were cut and I found myself living off that,” he said.A FWO spokeswoman confirmed the watchdog was “conducting an investigation in relation to Care Group NSW following a referral from the ASU.”
The ASU said they are currently investigating more than 30 other NDIS providers which they believe are allegedly underpaying workers to varying degrees.“People are coming to make a profit from both the NDIS participant and the workers,” he said.