A High Court majority has rejected union arguments that employees working longer than standard hours are entitled to use those hours as the basis for calculating their entitlement to 10 days paid personal/carer's leave for each year of service.
The Morrison Government has flagged potential legislative change as the full Federal Court's Rossato ruling sends "shockwaves" among employers, while an academic says it is untenable for casuals to receive both loading and leave entitlements.
Unions are calling on Qantas to permit sick workers to continue accessing paid personal leave entitlements while stood down due to the coronavirus, despite the Federal Court ruling today that it is not obliged to do so.
A Federal Court judge has promised today to rule swiftly on whether Qantas employees stood down due to the coronavirus pandemic can access paid personal (sick) leave, carers' leave and compassionate leave.
The CFMMEU and the AWU have made a joint appeal for mining and resources sector workers to receive sick pay if required to self-isolate and for minimum conditions to apply if they are stood down.
Qantas will stand down two-thirds of its 30,000 employees for at least 10 weeks as it imposes further cuts to flights after the latest Federal Government advice against travelling overseas.
IR Minister Christian Porter and a major food manufacturer have told the High Court that sick and carers leave must be calculated on average hours, not calendar days, in their challenge to a decision claimed to potentially leave employers an extra $2 billion out of pocket each year.
The FWC has issued a s418 order to stop 31 individual Orora Packaging employees taking unprotected industrial action in the form of "coordinated" personal leave that has shut down production lines.
The High Court has today granted the Morrison Government and a major food manufacturer special leave to appeal a contentious decision on calculating sick and carers leave, claimed to potentially cost employers an extra $2 billion a year.