Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described his government's close consultation with the Opposition in drafting legislation to give effect to the JobKeeper coronavirus wage subsidy program that will be put to Parliament next week, while joining IR Minister Christian Porter in thanking unions for their cooperation in achieving "massive" temporary IR changes.
The FWC has moved on its own initiative to introduce two weeks' unpaid "pandemic leave" for millions of award-covered workers, as the coronavirus crisis continues.
The FWC says the first application to vary an enterprise agreement in response to the coronavirus will be heard by a full bench to determine whether the "exceptional circumstance" provisions apply.
The FWC has expedited the hearing of the restaurant industry's bid to vary its award to boost hours and leave flexibility as it shifts to a COVID-19 business model based on takeaways and home delivery.
A senior Victorian public sector lawyer who failed to establish that agreement terms had been incorporated into his employment contract has been ordered to pay his employer the $200,000 in costs it sustained through its undertaking to keep him in his job until the finalisation of the case.
The coronavirus pandemic requires a temporary but fundamental reconsideration of the Fair Work Act's safety net, according to a joint bid to vary a key award to provide substantial operational and hours flexibility.
The FWC has moved quickly to endorse coronavirus redeployment measures agreed between the UWU and DHL Supply Chain, enabling employees to maintain their terms and conditions while temporarily working in other industry sectors.
The Australian Industry Group is working with the ACTU to fast-track changes to key awards to increase the flexibility of working hours and leave in response to the coronavirus crisis.
An FWC full bench has taken aim at the legal advice given to a group of Coles distribution centre workers who over the course of four years and four adverse findings continued to pursue what ultimately became a "hopeless" case related to their work duties.
FWC President Iain Ross will this afternoon hear a joint application by the UWU and the Australian Hotels Association to vary the hospitality award 2010 to help businesses to save jobs as the coronavirus crisis bites.
