Scientologists asked to review workers' pay

Updated

The Church of Scientology says it will take on board the recommendations of the Fair Work Ombudsman after it found the church needs to ensure it is complying with the Fair Work Act.

The ombudsman has also requested the church make sure it is paying its workers properly.

Some former church members have begun a class action over claims the church had paid them as little as $10 a week for long hours of full-time work.

At issue is whether they were volunteers or workers who are owed wages, holiday pay, overtime and superannuation.

The church insists they were volunteers.

The ombudsman has asked the church to do its own audit to ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act and to rectify any underpayments.

Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson said he was not persuaded that because the church is a religious entity the Fair Work Act did not apply.

Mr Wilson said documents examined by inspectors clearly contradicted that claim.

"In particular, witness evidence indicates that significant hours of work were imposed on workers. Further evidence indicates a significant level of control and direction was applied to workers by more senior church members who held positions of authority," the ombudsman's statement of findings said.

The Church of Scientology has released a statement, saying it is stunned by the media release issued by the ombudsman about the findings.

Church legal counsel Louise McBride said the ombudsman's media release was "misleading in the extreme".

"The central finding was positive for the church: that none of the complainants are employees and were in fact volunteers," she said.

"We have contacted the FWO and asked they amend their media release."

Topics: other-religions, religion-and-beliefs, industrial-relations, australia

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