Managers of an Indian restaurant chain in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland have admitted paying workers as little as NZ$2 (83p) an hour, well below the minimum wage of NZ$14.75, according to the New Zealand Herald.

The paper reported Joti Jain pleaded guilty to 15 immigration and exploitation charges in the Auckland District Court yesterday.

Court documents show that between 2009 and 2014, she significantly underpaid four employees and strung them along with the promise of letters that would help them obtain a visa. 

One employee worked up to 11 hours a day, seven days a week as a waiter for almost a year while in the country illegally.

Another was paid just NZ$40 after nine weeks' work, though it is not clear how many hours they worked. 

Another was invited to Jain’s house for a meeting to discuss a transfer to another restaurant but, once there, was made to spend 11 hours cleaning the house.

Jain was jointly charged with another manager Rajwinder Singh Grewal, who pleaded guilty to five charges.

Grewal and Jain are to be sentenced next month.

The paper says Grewal is facing up to seven years imprisonment or a NZ$100k fine, while the prosecution is understood to be seeking more than NZ$58k in reparation from Jain. 

Jain’s former partner Rupinder Singh Chahil faces six charges relating to alleged false documentation but has pleaded not guilty. 

• Want to comment on this story? The Comment box is at the bottom of the page. Sorry for the glitch but just scroll right down and share your opinions!