The landmark decision of WorkPac Pty Ltd v Rossato has been handed down by the Full Federal Court. The Full Court held that a coal mining worker (Mr Rossato) was in fact a permanent employee with a right to paid leave entitlements, despite being classified and engaged as a casual employee under his employment contract […]
Restaurant chain, Hero Sushi has been fined a record total of $891,000 for deliberate underpayment of staff and attempting to cover up the underpayments by creating fraudulent documents. “The Most Significant Decision” Hero Sushi’s actions were compared to “fraud” by Federal Court judge Geoffrey Flick for its repeated attempts to conceal underpayments totalling $700,000 at […]
On Friday 8 May 2020, the Australian Government released a three-phase plan to reopen locked down businesses in a “Covid-safe environment”. The NSW Government subsequently announced a NSW-specific Stage 1 to be implemented from Friday 15 May 2020, which includes the re-opening of some pubs, cafes and restaurants and advice for other businesses to continue […]
While the spotlight has been on physical health – that is, the prospect of workers contracting Covid – now that arrangements are in place (whether that be stand down, reduced hours, work from home or JobKeeper subsidy) it is crucial that businesses consider what measures are necessary to mitigate the impact on their employees’ mental […]
Whilst the introduction of the JobKeeper scheme is a welcome relief in these unpredictable times, the flurry of legislation and rules being passed has brought with it several complex entitlements and obligations for you to navigate. We raise the more pertinent of these below and offer a word of warning when utilising the new enabling […]
The Federal Government is introducing urgent amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act), to deliver JobKeeper benefits by way of wage subsidies and increased employment flexibility, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In case you missed our full JobKeeper update, read here for more information on payment, standing down and general eligibility for […]
As you may now be aware, the Federal Government is introducing urgent amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), to deliver JobKeeper benefits by way of wage subsidies and increased employment flexibility, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have prepared the below client update to help you navigate this ever-changing space. What […]
Unpaid Pandemic Leave On 1 April 2020, the full bench of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) made a decision to make additional temporary variations to 103 modern awards. In a statement released yesterday, the full bench outlined the introduction of two weeks’ unpaid “pandemic leave” that will apply to millions of award covered workers until […]
Brace yourself, there’s no doubt we are navigating uncharted waters and unique challenges. As your employment lawyers, it’s our job to take the stress out of it for you! If Covid is affecting your business and workforce, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss whether there’s a solution or workaround – temporary or […]
A scathing report on the inquest into the tragic deaths of four people on Dreamworld’s Thunder River Rapids ride in 2016 was handed down by Coroner James McDougall on 24 February 2020. The 300-page report condemned Dreamworld for their “shoddy” record keeping and safety systems that were “rudimentary at best”. The Coroner indicated that Dreamworld […]