A Phillip Island cafe faces 8 criminal charges in the Magistrates' Court of Victoria alleging it breached Victoria's child employment laws by hiring a child below the minimum working age and hiring a child without a permit.
The state's child employment watchdog, Wage Inspectorate Victoria, alleges that DYR Investments Pty Ltd, trading as 3925 Espresso, illegally employed a child below the minimum working age on several occasions in April 2022.
The maximum penalty for each offence is 100 penalty units ($18,174). If found guilty of all offences, the company faces a fine of more than $145,392.
In Victoria, provided an employer obtains a child employment permit and complies with Child Safe Standards, it can hire a child to work in hospitality from the age of 13.
The investigation into 3925 Espresso began when Wage Inspectorate officers made unannounced visits in Phillip Island, San Remo, Wonthaggi and Inverloch as part of a proactive compliance campaign focussing on regional restaurants, cafes and fast-food outlets.
Officers entered workplaces on the Bass Coast over 2 days last year to raise awareness of child employment laws and to check that hospitality businesses were complying with the laws. The campaign also saw officers inspect businesses in Drouin, Warragul and Moe.
The matter has been listed for mention in the Magistrates' Court on 27 March 2023.
The Wage Inspectorate will make no
