A Tasmanian hotel owner who deliberately underpaid and discriminated against a Malaysian couple based on their race has been fined more than $200,000 in a landmark ruling. Kien Hoong Loh and his wife, Kah Yoon Low, were underpaid more than $28,000 while working at the Scamander Beach resort hotel on the state’s east coast until 2014. In an Australian first, Judge Barbara Baker ruled then-owner Chang Yen Chang made a deliberate decision to treat the pair differently to Australian staff. “This is the first time the Fair Work ombudsman has taken legal action against an employer for racially discriminating against employees,” Fair Work ombudsman Natalie James said. “All workers in Australia are entitled to our minimum wages, irrespective of their background, language skills or visa status.”

Source: The Guardian May 28, 2018 06:11 UTC