Australian fast-food outlet fined A$72,000 for underpaying non-English-speaking staff

An Australian fast-food outlet was fined A$72,000 ($52,500) for underpaying their non-English-speaking staff, authorities said on Friday.

The case involved a 71-year-old employee who was born and raised in China working at a "Wok Me" outlet in Rockhampton city, Queensland state, where he was underpaid nearly A$13,000 over four months in 2016 by former outlet owner and operator Luke McGrath and his company, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The significant underpayment over such a short period was a result of the worker not being paid any wages for eight of the weeks he worked," the authorities said.

"Overtime, annual leave, and superannuation entitlements were also underpaid and record-keeping and pay slip laws were breached. The worker has now been back-paid in full."