The Morrison Government has cut back funding for the Fair Entitlements Guarantee in the 2021-22 Federal Budget, but still expects an increase in claims as COVID-19 support for business is wound back and more employers go into liquidation.
The principal of a specialist IR law firm has been ordered to indemnify the costs of a failed appeal after a court found the application "ought never to have been made" if he had heeded his statutory obligation to conduct quick and inexpensive litigation.
The FWC has upheld the sacking of a traffic management supervisor who allegedly directed his union representative to ask for $50,000 to "go away quietly" after the employment relationship was soured by his refusal to be on-call on weekends.
In a significant decision on the definition of an employee, the FWC has rejected a pharmaceutical manufacturer's bid to terminate its agreement after finding that the vast majority of workers laid off after a factory fire had not been invited to vote on the proposal.
New Zealand's Ardern Labour Government is drafting legislation to overhaul its IR system and introduce occupation and industry-wide bargaining where unions can demonstrate support or it passes a public interest test, but businesses say its "compulsory" nature breaches international law.
The FWC has set aside three days in August to conduct a final hearing of the IEU's long-running bid to win substantial pay hikes for early childhood teachers.
A manager placed on "death row" after missing sales targets has had his one-minute-late unfair dismissal application rejected despite the FWC finding he had an arguable case.
A FWC full bench has thrown out the appeal of a manager who failed to block the publication of a jurisdictional dismissal decision or have her name removed from it, to avoid identity theft or damage to her job prospects.
The McGowan Government has appointed long-serving WA IRC senior member Stephen Kenner as the tribunal's Chief Commissioner, with Perth-based barrister Rachel Cosentino to replace him as Senior Commissioner.
A recent FWC finding that BHP engaged in unfair bargaining practices, and subsequent tribunal-chaired negotiations, have led to Professionals Australia securing the first standalone enterprise deal for coal mining supervisors.