The FWC has upheld the sacking of a Sydney Harbour ferry master who fell asleep while in control of his vessel after taking an over-the-counter cough mixture.
The Federal Court has frozen the assets of two former Spotlight Pty Ltd employees who allegedly took millions of dollars in secret commissions from a supplier.
A former Workpac supervisor, who lost his job while he was under investigation, is accusing the company of failing to treat him fairly or protect him as rumours circulated in the community that it sacked him for selling drugs and bullying.
The FWC has upheld the sacking of a BHP Coal mineworker who punched a supervisor in the face and asked a colleague if she had "fake t-ts" at a company Christmas party, but has reinstated another employee dismissed for serious misconduct at the same event.
The FWC has admonished a BHP subsidiary for taking a "haphazard" approach to its disciplinary guidelines, finding it had a valid reason to sack a mineworker for her "deviant" conduct when she put a s-x toy in a colleague's carry-on baggage, but procedural failings made it unfair.
The Federal Circuit Court has today ordered representative rugby union player Israel Folau to enter into mediation with Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs before his unlawful dismissal claim goes to trial on February 4 next year.
The FWC has refused to issue an interim anti-bullying order against an employer that excluded a cleaner from a workplace Christmas celebration and refused to give her leave on Australia Day, but has criticised its "poor and clumsy" handling of the worker's complaints.
Academics are warning of a "chilling effect" on the ability of public servants to express their political views, following today's High Court finding that a government department lawfully dismissed a public affairs officer over a barrage of highly-critical anonymous tweets.
A senior FWC member in upholding a Virgin Australia ground crew worker's dismissal over pilfered cigarettes has noted that "one's fate" is often sealed by attempted cover-ups rather than the actual misconduct, further observing that the former employee did himself no favours when posting on social media that the airline's HR partner was a "despicable human being".
In ordering the reinstatement of an "impatient" veteran crane operator sacked after his third safety breach in a year, an FWC member has examined BlueScope Steel's "proactive attitude" to discipline and recommended it negotiate a better process.
