Restaurant owner ordered to pay $5000 for compliance failings

Ravi Singh, owner of Raviz Restaurant, was originally given a chance to fix the compliance issues without penalty. Photo / Doug Sherring

An Auckland restaurant owner has been ordered to pay $5000 by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) for failing to comply with Labour Inspectorate instructions.

The instructions relate to records keeping and staff public holiday entitlement.

Ravi Singh, director of the Botany restaurant trading as Raviz, has sold the business but continues to operate another Auckland restaurant under the same name.

The restaurant specialises in Northern Indian cuisine, and was popular for its butter chicken, beef vindaloo and naan.

The Inspectorate found the business failed to provide accurate pay and leave records, and
it also did not pay time-and-a-half to a staff member who worked on 11 public holidays.

Singh was issued an improvement notice to audit payments made to all former employees for public holidays and alternative holidays work and pay for any shortfalls.

The notice gave Singh a chance to fix the compliance issues without penalty.

Although Singh took steps to rectify the errors, the Inspectorate found that he failed to demonstrate that all the necessary payments had been made or that compliance had been achieved.

Singh was ordered by the ERA to pay $5,000 for the failings.

"This case demonstrates employers cannot escape responsibility by on-selling their business, and we will continue to pursue unscrupulous employers," says Labour Inspectorate Regional Manager David Milne.

"Consumers are also voting with their feet and refusing to buy from businesses that fail to provide their staff with the legal entitlements."

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment urged anyone who had concerns about their employment situation of themselves or someone they knew to call 0800 20 90 20.