The government agency launched an investigation into the truck driver’s case late last year and found an Orange transport company had underpaid him $5800 between July 2012 and August 2013. 

The employer, who can’t be named because he agreed to back-pay the man at the request of the Fair Work Ombudsman, underpaid the minimum hourly rate, overtime rates and annual leave entitlements.

The payout was part of a recent crackdown by the Fair Work Ombudsman in which workers throughout regional NSW were back-paid $63,100. 

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said a common cause of many of the underpayments was employers’ lack of awareness of the minimum pay rates and entitlements that applied. 

Ms James says employers who aren’t fully aware of the workplace laws which apply to their workplace are at much greater risk of inadvertently underpaying their employees. 

“Running a business is a demanding job but it’s really important business owners are aware of which award or agreement applies to their staff, and that their staff are properly classified for the work they do,” she said.