An accountancy firm manager’s appeal for unfair dismissal has failed after he secretly attempted to sell part of his employer’s business to Macquarie Bank for a $5 million personal profit. Andrew Baird (‘the Applicant’) sought $122,512.50 in liquidated damages from Crowe Horwath (Aust) Pty Ltd (‘the Respondent’) contending that his dismissal constituted contending that his dismissal […]
Beware: Heavy penalties for underpayment of employees
The Fair Work Ombudsman (‘FWO’) recently secured its largest penalty against a 7-Eleven franchise which “systematically exploited its employees” and manipulated financial data in order to deceive payroll processes. The investigation into the franchise was conducted as part of an ‘audit campaign’ by the Office of the FWO into the employment practices of 7-Eleven stores […]
7-Eleven Exploitation raises significant Work Health and Safety concerns
Significant work health and safety issues within 7-Eleven stores have been exposed by an independent Fairness Panel which was established by Allan Fels, the former chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. One former 7-Eleven worker, Mr Sam Pendem, has made an appeal to the panel alleging a breach of his workplace rights. The […]
Moonlighting Uber employee sacked
A recent judgement by the Fair Work Commission has shed light on workers moonlighting as Uber drivers, after a Perth man, Mr Jacob (‘the Applicant’), was dismissed for failing to declare that he drove for the ride sharing platform. The Applicant’s employment was terminated last year from his printer position at Western Australia Newspapers Ltd […]
Legal battle to protect trade secrets successful
Stevedore DP World Australia (‘the Plaintiff’) has won a recent legal battle to protect trade secrets after the Supreme Court of NSW upheld a restraint of trade provision the Plaintiff imposed on a former employee. The Plaintiff’s former terminal manager Bruce Guy (‘the Defendant’) was ordered to serve out a three month garden leave period […]
Beware: Procedural errors render dismissal unjust
A recent Fair Work Commission (‘FWC’) decision has demonstrated the importance of procedural fairness in dismissal proceedings. Platypus Shoes Pty Ltd’s (‘the Respondent’) store manager, Mr Jimenez (‘the Applicant’) was dismissed for serious misconduct on 9 October 2015. The allegations against the Applicant included the following: Misuse of a 20% immediate family discount on shoes […]