Auckland restaurants cop $66k in fines for failing to provide records

Eleven Auckland restaurants have been fined $66,000. File photo / Thinkstock

Eleven Auckland restaurants have been fined $66,000 for failing to provide employment records to a labour inspector.

On May 16 last year, an inspector visited eight restaurants, known as the Masala group, the Employment Relations Authority said.

Notices were issued for the restaurants to produce the paperwork by June 20 and 21.

"None of the records were provided by the specified dates," the authority said.

Joti Jain, a director of a number of the restaurants, provided affidavits on behalf of all the companies.

Just before the records were due, Ms Jain received news her father was seriously ill and left for India that day.

Ms Jain returned on June 12, but did not contact the inspector until June 20, saying the records would be compiled by the 28th. Authority member Vicki Campbell said Ms Jain claimed only she could have delivered the documents because they were at her home.

"That does not properly explain why Ms Jain was not able to copy all the records after May 16, 2013, and deliver them to the labour inspector immediately on her return to New Zealand on June 12, 2013," Ms Campbell said.

The inspector had been investigating complaints by seven workers who worked for Masala group companies and needed to work out who they were working for.

After receiving the records, it was found the complainants worked for companies that had gone into liquidation.

Ms Campbell fined each company $6000 and ordered they each pay costs of $71.56.

Lawyer for the restaurants John Burley said his clients would not make a comment while the appeal period was open.