7-Eleven Ethics

Law broken

A thorough investigation has found that many 7-Eleven stores across the country have breached a number of rules and regulations in which all organisations must comply to. The Fair Work Ombudsman (2017) states that organisations must obey the rules and regulations set out by the National Employment Standards (NES). The NES lists 10 minimum employment entitlements that are to be provided to all employees. These entitlements include maximum weekly hours, flexible working arrangements, parental leave, annual leave, personal carer/compassionate leave, community service leave, long service leave, public holidays, notice of termination/redundancy pay and fair work information statement. These entitlements clearly state the working conditions that are to be met by employers. Failure to meet any of these entitlements will lead to legal consequences. In this case, 7-eleven being the employers, failed to meet various entitlements in which they are legally required to by the Australian law. 7-Eleven broke the law when they as employers, started to make deductions from wages of their employees without their consent. According to Victorian Workers' Wages Protection Act 2007† No. 71 of 2007 section 2 part 7 on deduction of wages. It states that ‘An employer must not make any deductions from an employee's wages unless—the employer has received a valid written authorisation from the employee/ has made the deduction in accordance with the employee's written instructions as set out in the authorisation or the employer is required or authorised by law, court order or an industrial instrument to make the deduction’ (Victorian Workers' Wages Protection Act,) 2007.

Implications is Australia

The manner in which 7-eleven treated their employees is deemed unacceptable, which is why it was made out to be such a huge ordeal when the scandal was made public. 7- Eleven