{
  "id": 19446017,
  "title": "Judge issues $75K warning after labour hire firm fails to pay foreign workers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/judge-issues-75k-warning-after-labour-hire-firm-fails-to-pay-foreign",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-11T04:31:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-11/four-seasons-workforce-director-fined-more-than-75k/107372220"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Federal Court has imposed a fine exceeding $75,000 upon labour hire firm Four Seasons Workforce and its director, Pik Yok Chey, for underpaying foreign workers. The penalties come after the company ignored multiple notices from the Fair Work Ombudsman. The Fair Work body is currently pursuing a separate case against the firm for allegedly underpaying two workers at a farm in Halfway Creek. Judge Robert Cameron, in his judgment, emphasized that the hefty fine should serve as a warning to other organizations potentially failing to pay their workers appropriately. The workers were vulnerable due to being employed as pieceworkers on temporary visas and having limited English skills. The Fair Work Ombudsman learned of the underpayment from complaints filed by Chinese and Japanese backpackers who worked at Four Seasons Workforce in 2023 and 2024. The workers were paid based on the weight of blueberries they picked, but the company failed to pay them the guaranteed minimum rate as stipulated in the horticulture award. The ombudsman's media director stated that the firm's failure to pay the minimum hourly rate for casual fruit pickers under the relevant award led to the penalties. Chinese worker Kun Du encouraged others to come forward and fight for their rights. The Ombudsman has ongoing investigations into the horticulture sector across the Coffs Coast and Nambucca Valley, with another case involving the alleged underpayment of two Japanese fruit pickers dating back to July 2026.",
  "summary": "A labour hire company operating on the Coffs Coast is forced to pay a fine after it failed to pay its backpackers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}