Calls for Fair Work Act overhaul as Aegis aged care worker denied underpayment compensation

When one of Western Australia's largest aged care providers admitted to underpaying workers, Madeline Jones* thought she would receive thousands of dollars for hours of overtime she worked as a senior nurse. It would not be drawn on specific details around total payouts or the numbers of current and former staff impacted, but a spokesman said the average payments were "not significant". This was countered by the United Workers Union, which said on its website that Aegis "rorting" had gone on for almost a decade and would likely amount to millions of dollars. Under Australia's Fair Work Act, there is a six-year statutory limitation on underpayment claims, which means staff like Ms Jones, who left Aegis 12 months before the cut-off, will be paid nothing. "A six-year time limit also recognises the fact that over time, evidence becomes more difficult to identify," a spokesman said.