A worker has revealed a sneaky detail in his employment contract that would have led to a pay cut, but employers have blamed the subtle mistake on a “typo”.
The warehouse worker recently uploaded to Reddit a post of an email he received from company bosses after the worker signed the contract on June 4.
The email said the company would offer the worker “a variation” to the terms and conditions of his employment.
“Your compensation will increase from $60,000 per year excluding retirement to $65,000 per year including retirement,” the email said.
The contract amendment would have meant the worker would receive a payment of $65,000, including retirement, instead of being paid separately.
The email also stated that the revised contract would cover other entitlements such as overtime, penalties and work performed outside of “standard hours.”
The worker, who noticed the change in wording after signing the contract, said he felt like the employers were taking them “for a ride.”
Employers said the use of the word “inclusive” was a typo after the worker confronted bosses about the detail.
The email (pictured) revealed that the worker would be paid a revised amount of $65,000 a year, “including retirement.”
‘They tried to make it appear that it was a typographical error, but they also said that they had commissioned a third party to write it. He looked at it and sent it to me,’ the worker wrote.
‘I asked ‘so this went through a few people before it got to me?’ How come no one noticed this ‘typo’ before me?
The email also stated that all other terms and conditions of the worker’s employment remained unchanged.
“The variation will begin from November 4, 2024 and will continue indefinitely.”
The Reddit post was inundated with more than a thousand comments, with many users urging the worker not to sign the contract.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers’ senior industrial and employment lawyer Patrick Turner said the email appeared to indicate the employers wanted to retain the worker.
“The changes would leave workers worse off than they are today,” Turner said. news.com.au
Employers said the use of the word “inclusive” was a typo after the warehouse worker confronted bosses about the detail (file image pictured).
The worker, who revealed that he quit the job because he received another job offer, stated that he was fired after giving a week’s notice.
“A minute later, my boss comes over and says they’re going to lay you off today (and) basically don’t worry about the weekly notice,” the worker wrote.
Employers in Australia can make changes to employees’ working conditions and these changes must comply with Australian Fair Work laws.
Employers cannot change an employee’s employment contract without their consent and workers have the right to be notified in advance of changes to their working conditions.