Auckland company director ordered to pay over $203,000 for migrant worker breaches

The Ruling

The Employment Relations Authority has ordered the sole director of a former Auckland labour hire company to pay more than $203,000 for serious employment breaches affecting three Vietnamese migrant workers. Huy Quang Tran, who ran High-End Renov Group, was found personally liable for underpaying wages, failing to provide holiday entitlements, and keeping poor records.

Unlawful Fees

Authority member Robert Davies found that Tran received $60,000 in illegal premiums from two of the workers, who each paid $30,000 in Vietnam to secure their jobs. Tran was ordered to pay a total of $132,291.14 in wage arrears, holiday pay, and returned employment premiums to the three employees. He also received a penalty of $71,178.75, with $6,000 going to each worker and the rest paid to the Crown.

Context

New Zealand employment law protects all workers in the country regardless of where they were recruited from or where job fees were paid. The Labour Inspectorate investigates worker exploitation to ensure that vulnerable employees are not forced to pay illegal fees for employment.