‘Underpaid, overworked’ managers sue Rebel Sports
Retailer Rebel Sport may be forced to pay significant compensation to thousands of managers who claim they were underpaid and forced to work for free.
The Super Retail Group franchise was hit with a Federal Court class action on Wednesday for allegedly breaching a retail industry award by not paying its staff properly.
The case, led by Adero Law, is pursuing Rebel for both damages and penalties.
“With today’s cost of living pressures ordinary Australians are struggling to make it and the last thing they can afford is to be underpaid from their employers,” Adero Legal director Corinne Armanini told AAP.
He said an estimated 2,000 employees may have been affected by Rebel’s alleged violations.
Matthew Ridgewell is leading the class-action lawsuit.
From July 2019 to November 2024, he worked as a full-time store manager at ACT’s Woden branch.
The father of three told AAP he raised concerns about the unrealistic workload but was told it was part of being a leader.
“It was a slap in the face to be asked to do all this extra work and not be paid fairly for it, especially from a business that could afford to do it,” he said.
In the class action petitions, Mr. Ridgewell said he had to get to his store before the scheduled start time to disarm the alarms, prepare the cash registers and manage the team’s assembly before opening.
He also said he had to stay longer after the scheduled end time to serve the last customers, clean the store, count the money and escort the staff.
He claims he was not paid for this overtime.
Rebel is also accused of failing to pay for work done on managers’ days off, including completing payroll, staffing and taking calls and emails from staff.
The statement of claim states that the firm also forced staff to work during unpaid rest and meal breaks, and violated award terms by making managers work six or more days in a row.
Penalty rates were allegedly not paid in full for weekends, public holidays and night work.
According to court documents, the retailer engaged in systematic and serious employment violations by keeping misleading records about employees’ overtime hours.
He should have known his obligations, they continue.
Anyone working in a management role from May 2020 until the class action is filed will have the right to participate in the class action.
Super Retail Group has been approached for comment.
The Fair Work Ombudsman also brought proceedings in the Federal Court against Super Retail Group, alleging underpayments of more than $1 million.
In addition to Rebel Sport, this lawsuit also targets conduct at Super Cheap Auto, BCF, Ray’s Outdoors and Macpac.
A 10-day hearing is planned for December.
