A Federal Court majority has today dealt a hammer blow to NSW's and Victoria's pursuit of employers alleged to have avoided long service leave entitlements to casuals, ruling that a tribunal's reading of the Fair Work Act's LSL provision produced an "absurdity" whereby employers received "no warning" they could be held criminally liable for supposed non-payments.
A prosecutor who says working from home one day a week improves his mental health has failed to budge Queensland Police's rejection of his flexibility request, with a tribunal supporting its contention that his best bet might be seeking a "suitable duties" plan.
The privacy watchdog has declined to order access to details of almost 200 lawyers who applied for roles with the FWO, following an aggrieved party's suggestion that it might have favoured those with "non-union backgrounds".
Tugboat operator Svitzer Australia has withdrawn its long-running application to terminate its national enterprise agreement, saying it will focus instead on continuing negotiations with three maritime unions on a new deal.
The FWC has granted an extension of time for a unfair dismissal application sent six days late because the worker's computer was infected with malware.
The FWC has speculated that an energy company in the midst of a $1.5 billion buying spree "presumably has a contingency plan in place" after rejecting its bid to have thousands of new employees covered by a 12-year-old deal that would leave some on below-award wages.
A new set of flexible work principles for the Australian Public Service aspire to make all roles flexible - while continuing to meet organisational needs - and will provide the basis for unions and government to negotiate a common flexibility term for public sector agreements.
DP World has failed to persuade the FWC that MUA officials should be blocked from attending one-on-one "feedback" meetings with management when members seek their presence.
A senior FWC member accused of trying to intimidate a company director during conciliation, descending into the arena of advocacy and stating that he engaged in sexual harassment has refused to recuse herself from hearing an anti-bullying claim against him.
The FWC has upheld Sydney Trains' dismissal of a long-serving station manager for breaching its code of conduct when he failed to disclose serious criminal charges, including possession of more than two kilograms of cannabis he claimed to be holding "for a friend".
