The operators of an IGA supermarket are facing court over alleged underpayments of more than $93,00 and falsified records.
The franchisee, Kinsfolk Retail, could be penalised up to $82,500 per breach. The company’s sole director and owner Kavit Himanshu Parekh and his brother Ripple Himanshu Parekh are also facing the Federal Circuit and Family Court, each facing fines of up to $16,500 per breach.
Kinsfolk Retail operates the IGA supermarket in Narrandera, in the New South Wales’ Riverina region. The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges Kinsfolk Retail underpaid a Nepalese visa holder it employed at the store a total of $93,257 between August 2021 and May 2023.
Following an investigation, the FWO alleges the worker was paid for full-time work of between 51 to 77 hours a week; by bank transfer for four hours per week at the appropriate rate under the General Retail Industry Award and paid cash for the remaining hours, so he received a flat rate of just $15 an hour for all hours worked.
The worker was allegedly entitled to receive between $22.33 to $23.38 for normal hours and rates ranging from $27.91 to $58.45 an hour for the weekend, public holiday, late night and overtime work he regularly performed.
Annual leave entitlements, minimum break entitlements and a laundry allowance were allegedly also underpaid.
Kinsfolk Retail has rectified the alleged underpayments in full.
The FWO also alleges the business breached record-keeping and pay slip laws.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said the seriousness of the alleged conduct warranted legal action.
“Allegedly significantly undercutting minimum Award rates and trying to cover it up with false records and pay slips is completely unacceptable conduct,” Booth said.
A directions hearing is listed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Sydney on 2 October 2026.
