A House of Representatives standing committee is set to conduct a "short, focused inquiry" into the effects of COVID-19 policy responses on the workplace and the FWC, while it is particularly keen to explore whether vaccine mandates "and demands upon staff to enforce mandates in the workforce, are likely to impact Commission caseload".
Labor's plan to give the FWC the power to deal with employee-like forms of work has been designed to avoid the deficiencies in domestic and overseas models that highly-flexible platforms have been able to readily evade, according to Shadow IR Minister Tony Burke.
An appeal board has in overturning an Indigenous eco-education officer's sacking for failing to undergo neurological tests emphasised the need for public sector employers to consider cultural factors when scheduling medical assessments, given the "history of colonial Government control over Aboriginal people and their bodies".
The Federal Court has dismissed an attempt for a group of wharfies to maintain their wages until their challenge against a COVID-19 vaccination mandate is decided at trial.
Major stevedore Patrick has withdrawn its application to terminate industrial action at its container terminals after the MUA agreed that no further action would be notified before December 10.
Assistant Attorney-General Senator Amanda Stoker has told a whistleblowing symposium today that the Morrison Government plans to strengthen support and protections for disclosers and to bring the public sector scheme into line with the private sector regime.
Maurice Blackburn has lodged a discrimination complaint with the Human Rights Commission on behalf of a Gold Coast teenager who alleges she lost her job at a pizza shop for inoculating herself against COVID-19.
Shadow IR Minister Tony Burke has today attacked Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker's approach to "insecure" work, accusing her of "spin", mischaracterising Labor's policy position and operating in a manner similar to that of the "partisan" ABCC and ROC.
The NSW Supreme Court has rejected another challenge to the State's powers to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for categories of workers, ruling against a senior ambulance officer and religion-based "conscientious objector" to inoculation.
Workers at BHP's Mt Arthur coal mine who have defied a vaccination mandate face being refused access to the site, disciplinary action and the loss of pay after the CFMMEU failed to win interim orders to block it.
