09/12/2020 Big penalties for wage theft and ‘part-time flex’ work in major industrial shake-up Politics Federal Industrial relations Big penalties for wage theft and ‘part-time flex’ work in major industrial shake-up By Nick Bonyhady December 7, 2020 — 10.30pm Save 103 Share A A A View all comments Part-timers in food and retail jobs will lose overtime payments when they take on extra hours as part of a government plan that will also criminalise wage theft but shield small businesses that get bad employment advice. The new "part-time flexi" role to be announced on Tuesday creates a new category of employment for tens of thousands of businesses in the food, accommodation and retail sectors as part of an industrial relations overhaul that aims to fight unemployment and increase job security to be put to Parliament this week. Attorney-General Christian Porter is unveiling an overhaul of Australia’s industrial laws. ALEX ELLINGHAUSEN The most serious cases of wage theft, such as the scandals revealed at 7-Eleven franchisees in 2015, will trigger criminal penalties of up to four years in jail and https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/big-penalties-for-wage-theft-and-part-time-flex-work-in-major-industrial-shake-up-20201207-p56las.html 1/6