On 7 May, the ACCC instituted legal proceedings against Zanok and its directors, Darley Stephen and Vanitha Darley, for alleged unconscionable and misleading or deceptive conduct in contravention of the Trade Practices Act 1974.
The independent body said Zanok placed employment advertisements on various websites including MyCareer, Seek and Gumtree, offering jobs in the Australian IT industry.
However, the company "was not offering job opportunities but rather 'IT training' for which applicants (many of whom the ACCC alleges were on bridging or temporary residency visas) were required to pay up to $4,700", stated the ACCC.
It alleged that despite assurances from Zanok and its agents, there was no guarantee of a job at the end of the training period.
In an ex-parte hearing, held on 13 May before Justice Jagot in the Federal Court, located in Sydney NSW, the ACCC obtained injunctions restraining Zanok.
The ACCC said it would stop Stephen and Darley from engaging in conduct of the kind alleged in the proceedings, including providing IT training, which is materially different from the training for which a person has paid.
The injunctions also require the respondents to allow job applicants seven days to think about signing training agreements or pay any money for training courses offered by Zanok.
The next hearing over the matter will be held on 27 May.
Issue: 277 | March, 2010