15 hours Ago By Cheyanne Enciso
Fashion jewellery chain Lovisa says it will defend a fresh class action over allegations of underpayments and claims it directed staff not to take meal and toilet breaks. Lovisa in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange on Thursday acknowledged it had been served with a class action filed in the Federal Court by Canberra-based Adero Law. The allegations of underpayments cover the period from January 23, 2019, to January 23, 2025.
Lovisa said it took its obligations under the Fair Work Act and its enterprise agreements “very seriously”. This included obligations to pay overtime and have processes in place to monitor compliance with employment laws. “Lovisa intends to defend the class action proceedings and will provide further updates to the market as and when appropriate,” the company said.
On the law firm’s website, Adero claimed it was also aware of other practices occurring in certain stores, including claims that management directed staff not to take meal and/or toilet breaks during extended shifts and directed staff to work pre-shift and post-shift hours without pay. Adero claimed Lovisa also offered “individual flexibility agreements” that required staff to perform additional hours during Christmas sales periods in contravention of industrial instruments and without payment of appropriate overtime rates. “We are investigating the underpayments on behalf of casual, part-time and full-time employees of Lovisa,” Adero said on its website.
“This includes team members, senior stylists, assistant store managers, store managers, inventory managers and any other in-store employees.” Lovisa is chaired by billionaire businessman Brett Blundy, who holds a 39 per cent stake in the listed retailer. It has 927 stores in 49 countries.
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