Three Auckland superettes, whose director tried to undermine investigations, have been ordered to pay $57,000 for migrant exploitation by the Employment Relations Authority.
The director, Balwinder Singh, who provided false information, and his wife Jaswinder Kaur, have been asked to pay $15,000 and $5000 respectively.
This is on top of $90,000 that the companies, Saloni Enterprises Limited, Saloni Holdings Limited, and B Enterprises Limited, had previously been ordered to pay in wage and holiday pay arrears to two former employees.
"The director tried to undermine our investigation by providing false information and denying the allegations. But the truth came out in the end," says Loua Ward, Regional Manager Labour Inspectorate.
Ward said the companies failed to provide the minimum wage, annual holidays, public holidays and alternative holidays to the two former employees.