The High Court has today unanimously held that Qantas took unlawful adverse action against nearly 2000 former ground crew when it outsourced their jobs at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when their agreements were due to nominally expire.
Federal Treasury is consulting on draft legislation that will enshrine an objective for super of preserving savings "to deliver income for a dignified retirement, alongside government support, in an equitable and sustainable way", partly to prevent a repeat of the Coalition's coronavirus early release policy.
A BHP in-house labour hire worker has failed to convince the FWC she was sacked in part because of her "political opinion" about COVID-19 vaccinations at a time when the company was pursuing a policy of mandatory jabs.
The FWC has awarded zero compensation to an unvaccinated former Boeing worker at the same time as it has lambasted the subsidiary that unfairly sacked him for failing to inform him of the result of his redeployment bid.
A court has ordered a juice bar that pocketed a worker's JobKeeper payments to cough up nearly $30,000 and its director $5000 for ignoring a FWO compliance notice, signalling to the restaurant and cafe sector that its lawbreaking record has created a need for "very substantial general deterrence".
A Federal Court judge has noted a pilot's "disturbing lack of candour" in whittling back the challenge of eight former Virgin and Jetstar employees to their dismissals for failing to comply with COVID-19 vaccination policies.
The FWC has rejected a union bid to bill an aged care provider 15 minutes' overtime for workers required to have rapid antigen tests before each shift, but held that the employer "could and should have done more" to clarify its position.
A NSW IRC full bench has quashed the rejection of an unvaccinated worker's bid for a one-day extension to challenge her sacking after a commissioner found it would cause prejudice and that she has little prospect of success, based on arguments her employer did not make.
In a decision shedding further light on whether workers should be paid if instructed to conduct COVID-19 rapid antigen tests at home or prior to a shift, the FWC has held an aged care agreement lacks any provision to pay staff for testing at a time of their choosing.
In ordering a witness to attend a hearing in person, a NSW IRC member has highlighted "real pitfalls when evidence is not given in person" and emphasised that despite the widespread acceptance of virtual appearances at the height of COVID-19, there is no "presumption in favour of granting an order that evidence be given by [audio-visual link]".