Employers have been warned for advertising jobs below the minimum wage on a backpacker website, but will not be fined or prosecuted.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Last month, RNZ revealed the job website backpackerboard was advertising roles below the $16.50 per hour rate.
The website decided to take immediate action and pull ads that were below the minimum wage.
At the time, Labour Inspectorate national manager Stu Lumsden warned ignorance of the law was no excuse.
Today, Mr Lumsden said the inspectorate would not be prosecuting.
He said of the five advertisements it identified, two could not be contacted and two others did not realise the minimum wage had gone up.
Those two made changes after being contacted.
The fifth ad was edited so pay and accommodation were spelled out clearly.
"In this instance it was ignorance and to be quite fair to one of the [employers], she'd gone home to England due to a death in the family, [the wage increase] occurred when she was away, and when she came back [she] hadn't been aware of the change," he said.
He was satisfied with the outcome, but warned if employers did not comply, the inspectorate might issue fines.
