A discussion paper on the casual terms award review raises 32 questions for parties to answer in their submissions, including whether common clauses prescribing minimum payments and engagement periods are within its ambit, ahead of a conference this week and hearings slated for mid-June.
FWC President Iain Ross says the review of casual employment terms in modern awards will have to move "reasonably quickly" to meet its deadline of completing it by September 27.
The FWC has agreed to the ACTU's request to bring forward the three-year review of domestic violence leave terms in awards, scheduling a conference to start the process at the end of the month and a hearing late this year.
The ACTU has asked FWC President Iain Ross to urgently review the tribunal's rejection in 2018 of its bid for 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave, due to a rising incidence during the coronavirus pandemic.
The FWC will hold a conference on Thursday to consider the process of reviewing award casual terms to incorporate the changes flowing from the IR Omnibus legislation.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has today stripped Christian Porter of his IR and Attorney-General's portfolios and handed them to Senator Michaelia Cash, who has been acting in the roles.
The ACTU in its submission to this year's minimum wage review will seek a 3.5% increase across all award rates, maintaining that pay growth is crucial for the post-pandemic economic recovery.
Paid pandemic leave for aged care workers looks set to end this month after a five-member FWC bench concluded that the "emergency circumstances" that impelled it to make award changes in the first place no longer exist.
The FWC will this morning deal with objections to the fast-tracking of a joint union and Master Grocers Australia flexible hours award variation for part-time retail workers, and calls to join the bid with a "far more meritorious" ABI and NSW Business Chamber proposal.
RAFFWU expects to oppose a "disastrous" joint union and Master Grocers Australia proposal to let part-time retail workers put in more hours without earning overtime, but the ACTU says it will help them lock in increased hours while combating surging casualisation.