The FWC has ordered a labour hire company to return a casual mineworker to her former position at a BHP Coal mine, despite late evidence that the mining giant that ordered her removal won't consider reinstatement.
In a case alerting labour hire companies to the dangers of carrying out dismissals at a client's behest, the FWC has opened the way for a casual labour hire mine worker to seek reinstatement after WorkPac took a directive to remove her as "a fait accompli".
Employers are warning of "massive liability" and instability for all who engage casuals and unions say it could be harder to use labour hire to "drive down costs", after a full Federal Court upheld a finding that a labour hire casual was in fact an employee entitled to annual leave payments.
The Victorian government has proposed that its new scheme to regulate labour hire workers will not extend to secondments and work experience-type placements.
Five migrant fruit pickers at the centre of a $10 million Federal Court claim against a labour hire company and its owners are seeking to be recognised as casuals, alleging their contracts for piecework were invalid and based average take home pay on an unrealistic workload.
Two landmark class actions allege that a BHP Billiton subsidiary induced two labour hire companies to unlawfully engage hundreds of coal mineworkers as casuals and pay them less than the industry award.
Opposition launches site for labour hire grievances; Sacked Asperger's sufferer granted time extension; Vale David Duncan; IMF has mixed views on NZ IR changes; High Court reserves decision in $6.5 million case.
Australia's first labour hire licensing regime comes into effect in Queensland today with legislators attempting to meet industry concerns about its wide cast by tackling the thorny issue of who is and who isn't caught in its scope.
