New data from the FWC has confirmed the workplace upheaval being wrought by COVID-19, with a leap in unfair dismissal applications, stand-down disputes and agreement variations in pursuit of a wage freeze or deferral.
The FWO's pursuit of penalties over a crew's "sit-in" on a decommissioned trading vessel has been potentially scuppered by a Federal Court finding that they were not covered by an agreement at the time.
The Reserve Bank must reinstate a senior network engineer who accidentally posted to a WhatsApp workplace group a racist message meant for his wife, the FWC finding its procedural failings despite HR expertise to be "simply inexplicable".
The FWC has upheld the sacking of a truck salesperson whose loud swearing was overheard by customers while already on a final warning for saying there would be "bloodshed everywhere" if his employer did not resolve his issues.
A 70-year-old childcare worker has been reinstated after a finding that she was forced to resign in the face of her the employer's "callous" direction to relocate to a distant workplace and accept a role change that involved changing nappies.
A transgender senior law lecturer who claims his employer told him it was making him redundant due to COVID-19 is suing for alleged unlawful adverse action, sham redundancy and sex discrimination.
A teacher claiming bullying "on a shocking scale" can proceed with his adverse action case after a full Federal Court found the lower court judge who dismissed the matter over mental health concerns failed to properly consider whether to appoint a litigation guardian.
The Federal Court has rejected a disbarred lawyer's attempt to sideline a senior FWC member and the tribunal itself from hearing his unfair dismissal case, while also declining to grant "extreme" orders preventing a law firm from participating in the court proceedings.
An FWC full bench is inviting submissions by 2pm on an award variation allowing the real estate industry to disregard the COVID-19 months for commission-only employees and place a moratorium on commencing such arrangements.
