The Fair Work Commission has emphasised that employers can insist workers comply with social media policies that regulate conduct outside the workplace, in upholding the dismissal of an employee who refused to sign an acknowledgement that he had undergone social media training.
A FWC full bench has directed a Jetstar flight attendant to address it on whether it can consider reinstating her in the wake of media reports that South African authorities are seeking to extradite her over allegations of "criminal conduct of the most serious kind".
NSW Public Service Commissioner Graeme Head is seeking to determine why 30% of NSW public sector employees report being bullied in the workplace and almost 50% say they have witnessed it, despite the implementation of a wide range of prevention and management measures.
A Fair Work Commission full bench majority has urged DP World to address an "anti-dobbing" culture that contributed to its failure to curb a supervisor's bullying behaviour, in a decision upholding the company's dismissal of a subordinate he goaded into assaulting him.
An employee suspended for refusing to work from home while his bullying allegations were investigated has failed in his bid to rely on state whistleblower legislation to secure injunctions against further disciplinary action, including his sacking.
The Federal Circuit Court has found a rail company took unlawful adverse action when it dismissed a locomotive driver who became sick and anxious and couldn't go through with a competency assessment six weeks after he was involved in a crash.
In a decision that has the potential to expand the number of general protections cases, a Fair Work Commission full bench headed by the president has ruled that the tribunal has no power to dismiss an application on jurisdictional grounds and must hold a conference once a claim has been lodged.
In a split decision, a NSW IRC full bench has upheld an appeal against orders preventing the dismissal of three corrections officers, after finding that Deputy President Rod Harrison had incorrectly based his decision on whether the officers were guilty of serious misconduct.
The Coalition has largely succeeded in neutralising IR as a 2013 federal election issue by promising to retain – at least for one term – Labor's Fair Work framework, but Australia's two major parties are still going to the September 7 poll with some significant policy differences, including on paid parental leave, right of entry, and construction industry regulation. Workplace Express compares their IR policies and those of the Greens, whose future hold on the Senate balance of power is uncertain.