The Sydney Flames will have to pay $5000 to their former head coach, basketball great Shane Heal, for not providing him payslips during his tenure at the club.
The 53-year-old largely unsuccessfully sued the Women's National Basketball League club for unfair dismissal after his employment was suspended in January 2023 during an external investigation.
Federal Court judge John Halley ruled in April the Flames suspended Heal in response to players’ complaints, dismissing the bulk of his claim they were only a “smoke screen” to get rid of him.
But the club admitted it failed to promptly provide payslips to Heal, constituting a breach of the Fair Work Act.
On Friday Justice Halley ruled the Flames had to pay Heal a $5000 penalty for the breach.
In his judgment, Justice Halley said timely provision of payslips was a fundamental employee entitlement and the club's failure was "a serious deficiency" in its payroll procedures.
Heal had been seeking a penalty of up to $74,550, while the Flames argued for a penalty of less than $4125.
The club's chief financial officer sent Heal several invitations to join its payslip system, but they were sent to an incorrect email and never received, the court was told.
Justice Halley dismissed the club's claim for Heal to pay 40 per cent of its costs in the case.
The Flames had sought costs from Heal on the grounds of "unreasonable acts" because of his continued reliance on claims he was fired over exercising his workplace rights.
Heal's 21-year playing career took him around the world, playing in the NBA and European leagues in addition to a storied NBL career in Australia, a league he also coached in.
He played for the Boomers at four Olympics.
