7-Eleven workers shown paying back wages

Workers at convenience store chain 7-Eleven say they have to hand back up to half of their pay to their bosses in cash after being paid the full award rate.

Hidden footage broadcast on the ABC on Monday shows employees at a Brisbane 7-Eleven being forced to hand back their pay.

One of the workers says she was initially paid the full award rate of $25 then told to hand back $11 per hour to her boss in cash, known in the industry as a "cash back" scheme.

"My bosses say they can't afford to pay the government rate," a worker said.

"That's why they ask us to give some of the money back."

7-Eleven told the ABC in a statement it will "aggressively investigate" the allegations and if needed, terminate any franchisee's agreement.

Last year, a Fairfax-ABC investigation revealed some franchisees systematically underpaid international students, who were threatened with deportation if they reported it.

It prompted the company to set up an independent panel to review the claims, but later got rid of it for an internal "independent" panel within 7-Eleven.