Grill’d was able to pay Arda $3 less than minimum wage. Unions want this youth ‘loophole’ abolished

Arda Konstantine says they had to sign up to a traineeship to get their job at Grill’d. It meant they earned $3.38 less than the hourly national minimum for their age. Photograph: Ellen Smith/The Guardian

Ada Konstantine could vote, drink and drive a car. But as they were 19 years old, their employer, Grill’d, was legally able to pay them just $16.50 an hour – $3.38 less than the hourly national minimum for their age.

If Konstantine worked at the fast food chain’s airport store, their rate bumped up an extra $2. While employed at Grill’d, Konstantine never got weekend or public holiday rates.