"Sydney housing construction company in court," 12 May 2025

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against a housing construction company based in south-western Sydney and its sole director for an alleged breach affecting a young migrant worker.

Facing court are Veens Group Pty Ltd, which is based in Harrington Park, and the company’s sole director Dasi Shi.

A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice to Veens Group Pty Ltd in June 2023 after forming a belief that it had not paid a construction worker it employed on a casual basis for eight days in October 2022.

The worker, a Chinese national then aged 20, was in Australia on a student visa at the time.

It is alleged the worker was entitled to be paid minimum casual wages, under the Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2020.

The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges Veens Group Pty Ltd, without a reasonable excuse, failed to comply with the Compliance Notice, which required it to calculate and back-pay the worker’s entitlements.

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The FWO is seeking penalties in court for the alleged failure to comply with the Compliance Notice. Veens Group Pty Ltd faces a penalty of up to $46,950 and Mr Shi faces a penalty of up to $9,390.

The regulator is also seeking an order requiring the company comply with the Compliance Notice, including paying the alleged outstanding amount to the worker, plus interest.

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