Jacko avoids wage war

Music

16:30 16 March 2006

Michael Jackson has avoided another court case by paying employees at Neverland $306,000 in outstanding wages.

Staff at the ranch had been working unpaid since December 19 - and the troubled singer was given until March 15 to pay-up or face a possible lawsuit.

State labour commissioner Robert Jones said in a statement: "There is no need to take legal action in this matter as our main concern, that all employees receive wages owed to them, is being addressed."

It is not known how many people had been working for Jackson without pay. The Department of Industrial Relations said that Neverland had 69 workers in December, but that "a lot of employees" had subsequently left.

The pop star now has until March 24 to pay $69,000 in penalties for not carrying workers' compensation insurance.

He also faces fines of more than $100,000 for not paying up in the payroll department.

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