BHP Coal Pty Ltd unfairly sacked a mine operator for misconduct over his use of the words "scab" and "scabby" in discussions with colleagues, because he did not direct the comments to anyone and they were not used in an industrial context, the FWC has found.
New RBA research provides tentative confirmation that more flexible IR laws have enabled employers to ride out difficult times by adjusting their employees' hours rather than making them redundant.
A court has ordered Australia Post to pay $40,000 in compensation for race discrimination to a worker called a "f--king black bastard" by a colleague, but has rejected his claim for aggravated damages.
A HR manager with an "outstanding" work record introduced an "element of tragedy" to her career when she made the "great mistake" of taking her personnel file home without permission then refused to return it, the FWC has found.
A Perth Airport baggage handler has been compensated after the FWC found it unfair to sack him for "extremist" social media posts, including "we all support ISIS", that purportedly sympathised with terrorist groups.
The FWBC has discontinued court action against the CFMEU and official Luke Collier over alleged entry breaches at a Sydney apartment development in 2014, conceding its "poor" chance of succeeding after a full Federal Court quashed a similar case.
The Fair Work Commission has emphasised that employers conducting drug tests are not complying with best practice if their managers take samples from employees they directly manage.
Former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick says a culture of sexual harassment in the Australian Federal Police is so "pervasive" that almost one in two females and 20% of males have experienced it in the past five years.
The FWC has praised an organisation's handling of unfounded bullying allegations but has recommended that employers engage independent third parties to conduct investigations when employees "vigorously assert" that internal reviews will be compromised.
