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A Canterbury asparagus grower must pay almost $50,000 owed to workers.
The Employment Relations Authority ordered Christopher Gray, trading as trading as Motukarara Asparagus, to repay 13 employees for unlawful deductions, minimum wage arrears, and holiday pay entitlements.
Gray must pay $49,722.49 to the workers, 10 of whom were seasonal migrant workers, two other migrant workers and one New Zealander.
The Labour Inspectorate found some employees were paid based on the amount of asparagus they picked during the 2017 harvest season, at a rate of $2.50 per kilogram.
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“It was clear the business had no system in place to check that employees earned at least the minimum wage for every hour worked,” horticulture sector inspector Kevin Finnegan said.
Warwick Smith/Stuff
Christopher Gray paid some workers based on the amount of asparagus picked, at a rate of $2.50 per kilogram. (File photo)
“If employees are earning piece rates that work out to be below the minimum wage per hour, they need to be topped up to at least the minimum wage – Mr Gray did not do so.”
Gray was also found to have made deductions for airfares, accommodation and medical examinations, without the workers’ written consent, and failed to pay employees time and a half for public holidays worked.
“It is disappointing to see such crude breaches occurring in the horticulture sector, when the Labour Inspectorate has been working with the industry to improve compliance with the minimum standards,” Finnegan said.
Stuff
October 16, 2020 at 04:26AM
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Asparagus grower ordered to pay almost $50000 owed to workers - Stuff.co.nz
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