Four men who work for a Hawke's Bay labour supply company were in court today accused of helping foreigners work illegally in the agriculture industry.
Department of Labour national investigations manager Carl Manning said the men appeared in Hastings Districts Court today, each facing 28 charges arising froman investigation in December last year.
The charges involved assisting foreigners to work illegally in the local horticulture and winemaking industries and denying those same people entitlements like a minimum wage or holiday pay.
The men were all New Zealand citizens, Mr Manning said.
Each faces a maximum penalty of seven years in jail and a $100,000 fine, he said.
"This is part of a wider investigation into the employment of foreign nationals in the horticulture and viticulture industries - which has already seen five other people in Hastings, Nelson and Blenheim charged with the same offence this year.'
None of the men entered a plea, and all were remanded to reappear in the same court on July 26.
