The FWC has ruled that an employer's once-yearly payments to a worker to reduce his fringe benefits tax liability are not counted as earnings, clearing the way for him to pursue an unfair dismissal claim because his remuneration is below the high-income cap.
A judge has overcome his irritation at being asked to rule on an "arid debate" to find the now-defunct ABCC did not exceed its powers when it initiated its first case against the CFMMEU's maritime division over alleged death threats against workers attempting to cross a picket line.
In a decision closely examining when employees can be directed to perform extra duties, a FWC full bench has ruled that a maintenance worker could refuse to remotely monitor an automated gate at a gas supplier's facility.
The FWC has extended time by 48 days for a Qantas engineer to challenge his sacking after "particularly egregious" errors by the AWU, telling the union it should take immediate steps to ensure officials are equipped to provide a professional level of representation.
The FWC has refused to throw out an allegedly out-of-time adverse action case, ruling a FIFO worker only learned he had been sacked when told he had been left off the list of passengers due to board a plane to the worksite.
In a decision shedding further light on whether workers should be paid if instructed to conduct COVID-19 rapid antigen tests at home or prior to a shift, the FWC has held an aged care agreement lacks any provision to pay staff for testing at a time of their choosing.
The FWC has reinstituted a CFMMEU official's entry rights after more than five years, accepting that he had put his history of foul-mouthed contraventions behind him since being elected to a leadership role and making "lifestyle" changes to reduce stress.
The FWC has upheld the summary sacking of a "drunk and disorderly" financial advisor who refused to be breath-tested after turning up to work with bloodshot eyes and smelling of alcohol.
The FWC has ordered the reinstatement of a firefighter who shared an image of naked women in a "sickos" Facebook group of current and former colleagues but upheld the sacking of another who posted p-rnography during his shift, in decisions slamming "tick-and-flick" training.
