The FWC is seeking feedback by the end of this month on model terms for unpaid family and domestic violence leave in modern awards and whether the proposed entitlement should be extended to perpetrators, while it is giving parties more time to reply to a report on family-friendly work arrangements.
New data shows the Fair Work Commission's "triage" process for assessing whether enterprise agreements pass the Better Off Overall Test is resulting in closer scrutiny of workplace deals.
After a national employer body suggested its industry's "blokey" culture means workers are unlikely to admit they are domestic violence victims, "let alone [seek] FDV leave under an award", the FWC yesterday set a September 1 deadline for submissions on whether modern awards should provide unpaid leave, ahead of hearings in October.
An FWC full bench has reserved its decision on an SDA application to include paid blood donor leave in five awards, after employers argued the entitlement has no place in the modern awards system and should be left for enterprise bargaining.
The CFMEU's mining and energy division has welcomed an FWC ruling not to allow the spread of casual workers in the black coal mining industry, vowing to resist future "attacks" on award conditions.
A five-member FWC full bench has ruled today that modern awards should enable casual employees to elect to convert to full-time or part-time employment, subject to certain rules and restrictions.
The Federal Court has expedited the union application to quash the Fair Work Commission's cuts to penalty rates, but a three-day hearing will nevertheless start no earlier than September 18.
The main protagonists have landed their last blows ahead of Sunday penalty rate cuts coming into effect this weekend, United Voice calling on restaurant and pub patrons to pressure bosses over whether they value their staff, while AiG insists that July 1's parallel "hefty" minimum wage rise not only sees workers better off, but saddles employers with bigger wage bills.
United Voice has launched its Federal Court challenge to the FWC's decision to cut Sunday penalty rates, arguing that the Commission "misconceived" its obligation to uphold workers' living standards.
