United Petroleum ex-operator faces court

United Petroleum operator court
(Source: Bigstock)

The Fair Work Ombudsman is taking to court the former operator of a United Petroleum outlet in Brisbane, alleging he provided an FWO inspector with falsified records.

Navaneeth Gogikar, operated the United Petroleum outlet at Sunnybank Hills as a sole trader. The regulator alleges that Gogikar supplied records and pay slips to the inspector which did not reflect the wages paid to a young Indian student.

The FWO also alleges Gogikar failed to keep proper records for the worker and two other young Indian international students he employed between 2019 and 2021. It alleges the workers and visa holders did not receive pay slips.

Gogikar faces penalties of up to $12,600 or $13,320 per contravention for multiple alleged breaches of workplace laws.

The FWO was conducting an ongoing investigation and the alleged record-keeping failures prevented the regulator from completing a time-and-wages audit.

Court action for United Petroleum operators

Acting Fair Work Ombudsman Michael Campbell said the nature of the alleged contraventions meant that litigation was the appropriate response.

“The alleged knowing falsification of employment records is completely unacceptable conduct,” Campbell said.

“It is also unacceptable for an employer’s record-keeping practices to be so poor that they prevent us from completing a proper assessment of what hours its employees have worked and whether it has paid its employees their full lawful entitlements.”

A directions hearing is listed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Brisbane on 20 January 2025.

The FWO has separately filed three legal actions in the last year alleging breaches of workplace laws at three United Petroleum-branded outlets in Tasmania and South Australia. Those court proceedings are all ongoing.