Minimum award wages – On the rise by 5.75%
The Fair Work Commission (Commission) handed down its Annual Wage Review decision on 2 June 2023. The Commission approved a 5.75% increase to modern award minimum wages and the national minimum wage will increase to $23.23 p/h.
Secure Jobs, Better Pay – new prohibitions on sexual harassment have commenced
The next round of amendments as set out in the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth) have taken effect from 6 March 2023.
Secure Jobs, Better Pay – What do employers need to be doing now?
There has been a lot happening in the industrial relations space of late, not least of all the commencement of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth) (Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act), which received Royal Assent on 6 December 2022.
Paid family and domestic violence leave now available to (most) employees
From 1 February 2023, employees of non-small business employers (including casuals and part-time employees) are entitled to 10 days’ paid family and domestic violence (FDV) leave per annum.
Sharp rise in cost-of-living drives 5.2% wage increase
The Fair Work Commission’s (Commission) Expert Panel for annual wage reviews (Panel) handed down its Annual Wage Review decision on 15 June 2022. The Panel approved a $40 per week increase to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), which amounts to an increase of 5.2%.
FWC offers up 10 days’ paid family and domestic violence leave
On 16 May 2022, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) delivered a decision confirming its provisional view to include an entitlement to 10 days’ paid family and domestic violence (FDV) leave in modern awards.
Large employer caught out by unreasonable hours in employment agreement
In a recent Federal Court decision that serves as a pertinent reminder about the primacy of the National Employment Standards over contract terms, a large employer has been found liable for contravening the maximum weekly hours requirements set out in section 62 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act), which forms part of the National Employment Standards (NES).
Fair termination of worker who refused to return to the workplace post-COVID lockdowns
There has been a great deal of discussion around returning employees to the workplace now that many of the COVID-19 restrictions have lifted, and the extent to which an employer can insist that an employee works from the workplace after an (extended) period of working from home.
COVID-19: The great holiday disrupter!
Despite our mammoth efforts in mass vaccination, it appears COVID-19 has disrupted (and will continue to disrupt!) many employees’ well-deserved break over the festive period (either through isolation or infection).
Have you complied with your consultation obligations?
The recent Full Bench decision of Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, Mr Matthew Howard v Mt Arthur Coal Pty Ltd T/A Mt Arthur Coal [2021] FWCFB 6059 (3 December 2021) considered whether Mt Arthur Coal (operated by BHP) met its consultation obligations in directing 724 employees covered by an enterprise agreement to be vaccinated for COVID-19 to gain entry to the mine.