A farm near Christchurch has been fined over $45,000 for exploiting workers who the owner claimed were "volunteers".
Julia Osselton, the sole director and shareholder of Robinwood Farms Limited, breached the rights of workers in a bid to avoid meeting her obligations under New Zealand law, a Labour Inspectorate investigation found.
Labour Inspectorate regional manager David Milne said Ms Osselton attempted to hide "clear and unequivocal case of worker exploitation" under the guise of providing an experience under the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms movement – which is known as WWOOFing.
"Due to the poor nature of the records kept, it will be difficult to ever know the true level of exploitation which occurred on the farm – though Ms Osselton herself suggested she had over 1000 people travel through her business every year," he said.
Evidence showed the so-called "volunteers" were being paid $120 per week and provided food and accommodation, regardless of hours worked or tasks performed.
The "volunteers", many of whom were foreigners according to visitor book, were working up to 40 hours a week, often as labourers in the garden, for Ms Osselton's profit.
This evidence was supported by witness accounts from a Chinese man and a New Zealand woman who had both worked at Robinwood Farms in November and December 2015.
The $45,900 penalty will be shared between the Crown and the two witnesses in the case.
The fine was the second one handed out to Ms Osselton for use of volunteers by one of her businesses.
Last year, $20,000 was paid to a Spanish worker employed by Karamea Holiday Homes Limited, as well as a $5000 penalty.
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