The implications of the Federal Court's retail underpayments decision are only starting to be understood, with employment law academic Andrew Stewart warning of the significent consequences of its redefinition of employer record-keeping obligations and findings on proving workers' agreement to vary award conditions.
The Federal Court has approved a $174 million Victorian Government payout to settle 30 class actions on behalf of junior doctors, of which ASMOF will be reimbursed $175,000, following a finding that a health service "expressly and brazenly" instructed trainees to perform unpaid overtime.
The workplace watchdog's power to hold franchisors to account for franchisees' underpayments has been bolstered, after a full Federal Court today threw out a challenge by the Bakers Delight chain.
Adero Law says it is investigating a potential class action against the Seven Network after "numerous" current and former employees approached it to report potential underpayment, misclassification and unpaid breaks concerns.
The ETU's WA branch is pushing to bargain for a separate agreement for continuing electrical, instrumentation or plumbing workers at the massive Pluto 2 LNG expansion, to uncouple from employees who will be demobilised as the construction phase ends, and is urging workers to vote down a pay offer that "does not pass the pub test".
After the FWC sought feedback about how it should proceed with retail award variation applications following the passage of Albanese Government legislation that circumvented a key element of one of the cases, the tribunal has acceded to a bid by retailers to also consider submissions on the effect of the recent Federal Court ruling on underpayments by Coles and Woolworths.
The QNMU is backing "in the strongest terms" a Crisafulli Liberal Government pay offer said to retain a nation-leading edge for most nurses and midwives by boosting their "earning potential", while public school teachers have accepted a Queensland IRC recommendation to pause industrial action for a month.
The Albanese Government's legislation to protect award penalty and overtime rates, passed by Parliament on Thursday, has now become law after Governor-General Sam Mostyn granted Royal Assent, while the workplace protection orders legislation is set to be considered by the Senate.
The Albanese Government's legislation to protect award penalty and overtime rates has passed both houses of parliament, after the Senate this morning endorsed it without further amendments.
