Qld teens shortchanged on trainee work

Twenty Queensland students have been collectively backpaid $28,000 after being shortchanged for work they undertook while completing school-based traineeships.

The students, aged between 15 and 18, had worked one day a week over several months last year at sporting organisations, schools, retail outlets and childcare centres.

The group training organisation, which received public funding to administer the training, failed to pay the teens any wages at all for many of the hours they worked as well as penalty rates and annual leave entitlements.

The Fair Work Ombudsman discovered the underpayments after being approached by students, parents and the State Department of Education and Training.