A former employee of George Calombaris has slammed the celebrity chef and claims she is owed money on top of the $7.8million his restaurant empire has been forced to pay back to underpaid workers.
A former waitress at Calombaris’ Hellenic Republic in Melbourne told The Project she is still owed ‘anywhere between three and four thousand dollars’.
Orlaith Belfrage claimed she was wrongly classified as a casual worker, and therefore wasn’t paid overtime wages as a full time worker.
‘For my overtime it was just explained that that was just how it is, and I can just suck it up and work the job, or leave,’ she said.
‘And I definitely think that this is systemic across the entire industry.’
Former waitress Orlaith Belfrage claims she is owed between three and four thousand dollars from George Calombaris’ Hellenic Republic restaurant in Melbourne
When asked by Lisa Wilkinson if Calombaris paying back the outstanding $7.8million meant it was the end of the scandal, Ms Belfrage strongly disagreed.
‘I completely believe there’s more to come. I personally have money owing to me,’ she said.
‘There’s a group of people I used to work with that I’m in contact with still that haven’t been contacted by this second or third wave of media around the MAdE establishment wage saga.
‘So I completely believe that there’s more back payments to be paid.’
Ms Belfrage agreed with calls for Calombaris to be sacked from his judging and presenting role on Master Chef, saying he should ‘absolutely’ lose his job.
‘There are so many either employers, business owners or chefs that do the right thing with paying their workers and have good principles. They should be rewarded – if you want to call it that – by being able to be on those shows,’ she said.
MasterChef fans are calling for judge George Calombaris (right on the show) to be sacked after he was fined for underpaying his restaurant workers by $7.8million
‘It shouldn’t be given to people that are just so against the good principles and the law within the hospitality industry.’
Ms Belfrage, who is part of the Hospo Voice union, said surveys of hospitality workers showed that around 74 per cent of people who work in the industry say they’re underpaid.
‘This is definitely widespread, and that doesn’t mean it’s okay, but it’s definitely widespread,’ she said.
When asked if the celebrity chef was being made an example of due to his high profile status, Ms Belfrage said she believes that was a part of it.
‘There’s just something that’s so hard to stomach about a multi, multi-millionaire taking millions of dollars off his workers and just reaping huge profits and benefits from it,’ she said.
‘Of course that’s going to be something that puts him under fire more than other people. ‘Also the fact that he’s historically been outspoken against penalty rates for workers and other workers entitlements.’
The chef (right with friend Nigella Lawson) has been ordered to pay the Government $200,000 for underpaying 515 staff between 2011 and 2017, the Fair Work Commission announced
The chef has been ordered to give the Government $200,000 after underpaying 515 staff between 2011 and 2017, the Fair Work Commission announced on Thursday.
He has already paid back his staff but will have his business audited for the next three years to make sure the mistake doesn’t happen again.
Calombaris has categorically denied claims that he deliberately underpaid his staff, and said he believed he was doing the right thing.
‘I am deeply sorry for what has happened, and have apologised to our affected team members, past and present,’ he told the Herald Sun.
‘There are two important things for Australians to know. The first is that when we discovered there were incorrect payments to members of the team, we self reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman and co-operated with their investigation,’ he said.
‘The second is that our team members, past and present, have been back-paid in full, and the vast majority repaid before October 2017 in consultation with Fair Work.’
After the announcement, MasterChef viewers called for Calombaris to be axed from the hit Channel 10 show
Despite calls for Calombaris to be axed from Master Chef, Network Ten have thrown their support behind the celebrity chef.
‘George and Made Establishment have reached an agreement with the Fair Work Ombudsman in relation to this matter,’ a network spokesperson said.
After the announcement, MasterChef viewers called for Calombaris to be axed from the hit Channel 10 show.
One wrote: ‘He should be sacked… he talks about his staff as family and food is about love – integrity and honesty where are they ? Sack him!’
Another added: ‘MasterChef should sack him, he’s a repeat offender’.
Unions NSW has started a petition to get Mr Calombaris fired.
After the announcement, Masterchef viewers called for Calombaris (left on the show) to be axed from the hit Channel 10 show
The chef (centre on Masterchef) has already paid back his staff but will have his business audited for the next three years to make sure the mistake doesn’t happen again
It comes after Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O’Neil said Mr Calombaris was getting off lightly.
‘This is systemic stealing from workers,’ she said told 3AW.
‘If you’re going to make your fortune and your name on the basis of a brand, then you’ve got to take responsibility for the workers in that brand.’
The scandal surrounding Mr Calombaris’ company, Made Establishment, first came to light in 2017. The star blamed the issue on ‘historically poor processes’.
However, following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman, a number of breaches have been identified, including failure to pay split shift allowances, minimum award rates and penalty rates.
Made Establishment was also found to have failed to keep records for the number of hours salaried workers had completed, The Age reported.
The deal with the Fair Work Ombudsman will see each of Mr Calombaris’ Melbourne venues audited for the next three years.
His high profile restaurants include Gazi, The Press Club and Hellenic Republic.
George Calombaris (pictured with Natalie Tricarico) said he was devastated by the error and vowed to repay everyone who had been effected when it first came to light in 2017
The company will have to introduce a new payroll system and workplace relations training will also be given to staff.
He will also have to make a number of statements promoting compliance with the Fair Work Act.
The Fair Work Ombudsman began investigating in 2015 after staff from Made Establishment complained.
Mr Calombaris and his then business partner George Sykiotis had spoken out at the time, claiming the issues were resolved.
It wasn’t until Radek Sali became involved in the business in 2016 that more discrepancies were discovered.
The company then reported itself to the Fair Work Ombudsman in 2017. At the time, Mr Calombaris blamed the issue on ‘historically poor processes’.
In an email sent to staff at the time, Mr Calombaris said he was devastated by the error and vowed to repay everyone who had been affected.
‘I am devastated by what has happened and we have been working extremely hard to fix this,’ the email said.
‘I want to be clear that getting it right means ensuring that every single one of our team members is paid what they are entitled to under the industry award, and that any outstanding money owed to staff is rectified.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Calombaris for comment.
Mr Calombaris’ company, Made Establishment, was found to have failed to keep records for the number of hours salaried workers had completed