The push to criminalise so-called "wage theft" by employers might be a less effective deterrent than an increased number of civil prosecutions, according to a new academic paper.
As United Voice seeks to quash a 2007 "zombie" agreement at Justin Hemmes' Merivale hospitality company on the basis that workers would be better off under the award, the FWO says it found no "non-compliance issues" when it audited the company in May.
The gender pay gap has dropped from 24.7% to 21.3% over the past five years but many companies are still harbouring an "action gap", with policies in place but no accountability for implementing them, says the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
Report confirms FWO needs our help: McManus; Watson has status of judge, but isn't one for tax purposes: AAT; Axe 12% target, commission PC to assess super adequacy, says report.
A new body should be established outside the FWO to exclusively address underpayments to temporary visa holders, argue the authors of a report which found that less than 2% of more than 2000 migrant workers surveyed successfully recouped all their unpaid wages through existing channels.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has begun the first proceedings using tougher new provisions relating to providing false and misleading documents during an investigation, Senate Estimates hearings have been told this week.
The construction watchdog is investigating whether Master Builders Tasmania charged induction fees for more than 120 Chinese plasterers in order to work on a major project in Hobart.
A lawyer representing five labour hire fruit pickers who withdrew an underpayments test case after winning a $150,000 settlement says he would welcome a "global settlement" for other claimants, while the employer accuses the NUW of funding the litigation in an effort to extend its patch.
An asylum seeker allegedly sacked after complaining about his pay for 91-hour weeks as a Woolworths trolley collector has been allowed to file a late adverse action claim, the FWC finding his application had "considerable merit".
In a significant decision on adverse publicity as a factor in setting penalties, a judge has heavily discounted fines sought against an underpaying Melbourne restaurant chain while criticising the FWO's practice of naming and shaming employers before their day in court.