Australia has prepared a bill to combat "wage theft"

Reuters: Australia has prepared a bill to combat "wage theft"

The Australian government will introduce a bill on September 4 aimed at combating wage theft, Reuters reports.

If the bill is passed, intentionally understating wages through loopholes in labor law will become a criminal offense with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of 7.8 million Australian dollars ($5 million).

In addition, the bill should make it easier for temporary employees to obtain permanent positions, as well as introduce minimum standards for companies when temporarily hiring workers in the service sector, for example, couriers for food delivery.

Jennifer Westacott, Executive Director of the Business Council of Australia, called the proposed changes "unworkable." "This will increase the cost, complicate the situation, make it difficult to find casual work, make it difficult for people to find employment," she said.

"Wage theft", or wage theft, refers to non-payment of wages or refusal to provide benefits to employees who are owed to them by contract or law.

Employers can "steal wages" in various ways, for example, forcing employees to overwork, while not paying overtime.