AN ALBURY business owner says a change to penalty rates might make him consider opening on Sundays in the future.
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But Jarrod Lehman, of Betty Windsor and Sons Coffee Emporium, also expressed surprise at Thursday’s decision by the Fair Work Commission to reduce Sunday penalty rates.
“For the employee it’s a big deal because you’re giving up your Sundays, so it’s just making it like another day’s work,” Mr Lehman said.
“Some people do work in hospitality because you do get that extra bit of money if you’re working at night time or early in the mornings.
“I’ve been in the industry for a long time, it’s just a bit disheartening for those people.”
Another Olive Street business owner, Helen Baring, of Country Labels, did not wish to open on Sundays but felt the change could make this option more viable for some shops.
“I think people are seven days a week now because they can shop online,” Mrs Baring said.
“We get a lot of tourists, they come in here Monday morning at 9 o’clock and say, ‘We arrived on Sunday but no one was open’.
“I think we can get more people employed and perhaps people will open longer.
“On a Saturday afternoon when we finish, it’s very hard to get a cup of coffee because everyone’s shut.”