(TDB) - Marlborough-based vineyard labour contractor, Double Seven, has been fined NZ$140,000 after an inspection found that the company had failed to keep accurate records for employees, provide employment contracts and pay some workers the minimum wage.

Double Seven and its owner, Qin Zhang, have been fined over $140,000 by New Zealand’s Employment Relations Authority (ERA).

Following a joint operation back in 2016 between the Labour Inspectorate, Immigration New Zealand and Inland Revenue, a number of contractors were found to be breaking the rules.

After Zhang was informed of the report findings, he ceased to assist in the investigation which was subsequently passed to the ERA last year.

From the information contained within the report, the ERA found that Double Seven had failed to keep wage, time, holiday and leave records for 199 employees, to provide employment contracts for 104 works, to pay the minimum wage and holiday pay to 21 employees (with minimum arrears totalling $7,047), to calculate or pay leave to 21 workers, to pay 13 employees for working over a public holiday and had charged an employee a $5,065 premium for working.