The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has decided to provide five days’ unpaid leave per annum to all employees (including part time and casuals) experiencing family and domestic violence. This leave will be available in the event that the employee needs to do something to deal with the impact of the family and domestic violence and it is impractical for them … Read More
“Modern Slavery” legislation – Coming in 2018
The Federal Government has decided to legislate to require businesses and other organisations with a large annual turnover to lodge “modern slavery statements” and have these published on a public website run by the Government or a NGO. The threshold turnover amount is yet to be finalised (turnover of $100 million has been proposed). The reporting requirement will require large … Read More
Possible delay to scheduled four year review of modern awards
On 11 December 2017 the President of the FWC made a statement in which he expressed a provisional view that it is not practicable for another four year review to commence until the current review has been completed and before the parties have been given an opportunity to consider how the reviewed awards operate in practice. Although the current four … Read More
Threat to reduction in penalty rates
On December 4 Labor and cross bench Senators successfully amended a government Bill to include provisions overturning the Fair Work Commission’s February 2017 decision to reform some Sunday and public holiday penalty rates in some hospitality and retail awards. The new rates started taking effect from 1 July 2017. The Bill, the Repeal of 4 Yearly Reviews and Other Measures … Read More