A labour law expert has told a Senate inquiry he supports the Albanese Government's Bill to remove criminal sanctions from right to disconnect laws but he believes there should be a new requirement for all agreements to contain a disconnection rights term.
The FWC has identified 11 award provisions, extending to overtime, reasonable additional hours and on-call, that might interact with new terms to entrench the right to disconnect, ahead of the new laws taking effect in late August.
Closing Loopholes 2 provisions that substantially increase penalties for breaching the Fair Work Act should prompt employers to consider boosting their investment in payroll systems and checking compliance, Adelaide University Professor of Law Andrew Stewart says.
The Greens says they have secured support from the Albanese Government and Senate crossbenchers for a legislated right for workers to disconnect from "unreasonable" out-of-hours contact from their employers.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says that talks about introducing a right to disconnect have shifted away from fines for offending employers and towards an "absolute ban" on them penalising workers who disengage outside working hours.
IR Minister Tony Burke says the Albanese Government is "not there yet" in talks with key crossbenchers ahead of this week's Senate debate on its Closing Loopholes No 2 legislation, while consultations on including a "right to disconnect" are tackling the role of fines.
IR Minister Tony Burke is consulting with the Greens and key crossbench senators on including a "right to disconnect" in the Closing Loopholes No 2 legislation once Federal Parliament resumes next week.
The FWC is seeking feedback by March 12 on the possible incorporation into modern awards of key recommendations of the recent Senate work and care inquiry, including rights to work from home and to disconnect from the workplace.
Workers should fight for better pay and conditions rather than accept the "overhyped" employer-driven four-day working week, which often results in work intensification and employees losing conditions, according to an IR academic.
Reduced working hours for the same pay makes organisations more productive, increases their revenue, and benefits employees by decreasing stress and burnout, according to the largest-ever four day working week trial.