Shine Lawyers claims IR Minister Tony Burke has made "incorrect factual and legal assertions" about a RAFFWU-backed McDonald's class action in which he is seeking to intervene to explain why a competing SDA class action is "the one that should be allowed to proceed".
A judge has criticised the FWO for seeking "excessive" penalties against two restaurant businesses and reduced the penalties from the $250,000 the FWO sought to just $32,000 after it emerged that their director is broke and had been contemplating suicide.
Users can register now for the FWC's new digital tool to integrate minimum award rates of pay, allowances, overtime and penalty rates data into accounting software and payroll systems, ahead of its March 20 launch, while the tribunal is also about to release a range of other "digital transformation" initiatives.
Some Australian universities have engaged in "passive resistance" when questioned over employee underpayments and record-keeping, according to Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker.
The FWC has approved a company's transfer of employees to a newly purchased entity, to remove any connection to an associated entity embroiled in fraud and corruption and the risk of "brand damage".
Wage Inspectorate Victoria has laid Australia's first criminal wage theft charges against a business and its owner, while warning it intends to bring further matters to court.
In a move that the NTEU warns could have a "chilling effect" on underpayment claims across the economy, the Federal Court has stayed its attempt to claw back millions of dollars on behalf of casual and sessional staff while Monash University pursues a FWC bid to retrospectively vary its agreement.
The FWO has hit a new high in the cases it has taken to court, as it continues to target large corporates and adds universities to its priority list, according to the watchdog's annual report.
A special panel, similar to that proposed for the road transport industry, could be established within the FWC to set minimum pay and conditions for gig workers in disability, aged and home care, a leading IR academic has told a parliamentary inquiry.
A new report says that wage theft in Australian freight shipping is costing seafarers about $65 million a year and necessitates changes to the Fair Work Act and greater powers and cooperation for regulators.
