Pharmacy Daily | CW “partners” with FWO

CHEMIST Warehouse has entered into a compliance partnership with the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) in relation to the reimbursement of almost 6,000 workers for compulsory online training undertaken by staff outside of normal working hours (PD 09 Nov).

According to a FWO statement issued yesterday, the pharmacy group has signed a "Proactive Compliance Deed" on behalf of its franchise network of 350 outlets, which employ more than 9,000 people across the country.

The three-year deed follows an audit of Chemist Warehouse stores.

"While CW Retail Services Pty Ltd issued instructions to individual business owners saying that workers should be paid for compulsory training and it should be conducted during working hours, it acknowledged there was potential for non-payment of training time to have erroneously occurred within businesses across the network," the statement said.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James noted the "preparedness of Chemist Warehouse to facilitate the swift rectification of the underpayments.

"As part of its Deed with the Fair Work Ombudsman, Chemist Warehouse will establish systems and processes to ensure compliance, particularly relating to compulsory training and how it is conducted and recorded by all franchises," the FWO added.

Following the review, 294 stores operating under the Chemist Warehouse brand initiated back payment to 5,976 staff.

Chemist Warehouse will implement workplace training for managers and staff, nominate a dedicated person to deal with requests for assistance, and establish a dedicated phone hotline to allow staff to make enquiries or report potential non-compliance.

James said commitments by such large and established brands as Chemist Warehouse helped the Fair Work Ombudsman in its work to build a culture of compliance.

Damien Gance, director of CW Retail Pty Ltd, welcomed the opportunity to enter into the partnership with the FWO.

"Chemist Warehouse as a group knows how important our people are to our success, and we are committed to ensuring our people are paid properly for the great work they do," he said.