Source: Radio New Zealand
One of the 55 breaches included failing to pay minimum wage. (File photo) 123RF
A Christchurch massage business has been fined $210,000 for exploiting migrant workers.
Mother’s Thai, operating as Diamond Thai, and its owner Janya Duangjai had already agreed to pay the workers $230,000.
But authority member Peter van Keulen said there was no evidence the workers had been paid and Mother’s Thai was no longer operating.
He ordered Duangjai be ordered to pay $70,000 of the penalties.
Labour Inspectorate Migrant Exploitation Manager Natalie Gardiner said the ERA decision showed that despite structural changes occurring with the company ownership and shareholdings, enforcement action “can still be taken and that directors can be held personally accountable for serious breaches of employment law.”
“This was a particularly egregious example of migrant exploitation and the significant penalties imposed by the Authority reflect the seriousness of the harm caused to these workers.
“This outcome follows a detailed and lengthy investigation by the Senior Labour Inspector, made more complex by the employer’s failure to maintain accurate records and the workers’ understandable fear about speaking up.”
The investigation, completed in September 2024, found 55 breaches of minimum employment standards between November 2020 and 2023, including failing to pay the minimum wage, making unlawful deductions and charging employees a premium for their jobs.
Van Keuken said the workers had limited knowledge about their employment rights and little support in terms of questioning their pay and other entitlements.
“It appears that Mother’s Thai, through Ms Duangjai, took advantage of the employee’s vulnerability,” he said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
