Melbourne Magistrates’ Court has granted an interim injunction against two companies offering employment services and their officers, who allegedly made misleading representations to jobseekers.
DNL Security Australia Pty Ltd, Skilltopia Pty Ltd, Lou Petrovski and Natasha Petrovska allegedly accepted payments of up to $500 from a consumer for a customer service training course on the basis of false promises that they would guarantee employment for the consumer.
The court ordered that the parties must not guarantee to secure employment and restrained them from making representations to job-seekers that:
- they have lodged a job application with an employer, or
- recommended them to a prospective employer -
unless they provide documentary proof from the prospective employer to the job-seeker, confirming such representations.
DNL Security Australia must also provide a written fee structure to job-seekers before accepting any fees, including information about withdrawing from the contract in time to get a full refund of fees paid.
It is an offence under the Australian Consumer Law to misrepresent the availability, nature, terms or conditions of employment.