Articles
The Fair Work Commission (Commission) has highlighted that in determining if a dismissal is unfair, they will consider whether the employer had a valid reason for dismissal relating to the person’s capacity or conduct. In the case of Suganthi Manimaran v Guardian Community Early Learning Centres Pty Ltd, the Commission held that there was no valid reason for Ms Manimaran’s dismissal, as she had not actually done anything wrong. Key facts The employee, Ms Manimaran, was employed as a childcare worker for Guardian Community Early Learning Centres Pty Ltd (Guardian). Ms Manimaran was dismissed in September 2024 after Guardian accused…
Read MoreThe Fair Work Commission (Commission) recently decided in favour of an employer who dismissed an employee who continued to work on an expired visa, despite the renewed visa arriving within days of the employee’s dismissal. Key facts Mr Muza had been employed with Costco since 2021 and was engaged as an Inventory Control Specialist at the time of his dismissal. Mr Muza was on a bridging visa that expired on 14 August 2024. Mr Muza was engaged pursuant to an employment contract that expressly required him to provide evidence of his right to work in Australia. Costco’s Director of Human…
Read MoreIn a recent case, the NSW Personal Injury Commission has highlighted the importance of employers undertaking proper consultation processes, especially when it comes to redundancy decisions. The case, Khan v Hitachi Energy Australia Pty Ltd [2025], serves as a reminder to employers of the legal requirements for consultation and the potential consequences of failing to adhere to these requirements. Background to Khan In this case, applicant Sefal Khan was employed as a tax manager by Hitachi Energy Australia. Mr Khan had been engaged by Hitachi for nearly 27 years and had expressed an intention to remain with the company for…
Read MoreAs a workplace health and safety (WHS) officer, your role is integral to maintaining a safe and compliant work environment. But what exactly does this role entail? This article will provide an overview of the due diligence obligations for WHS officers, focusing on what is required by law and the steps you can take to ensure your business is compliant. What is a WHS officer? Generally, a WHS officer is someone who makes, or participates in making, significant decisions that affect the whole or a substantial part of the business, or who has the capacity to significantly affect the business’s…
Read MoreAs we usher in the new year, businesses across the country face a significant shift in their payroll responsibilities. As of 1 January 2025, it is now a criminal offence for employers to intentionally underpay their employees. The changes have come into effect following the passage of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023 and the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2024. Payroll management has been thrust into the spotlight and what may have been once considered an administrative oversight could now lead to significant consequences for employers including imprisonment, increased civil penalties, and…
Read MoreThe Fair Work Commission has yet again highlighted that if employers are seeking to dismiss an employee on the basis that they breached a workplace policy, they must be able to clearly demonstrate that the employee had been provided with copies of the policy and had received comprehensive and interactive training on the policy. Key Facts – Ramlan Abdul Samad v Phosphate Resources Ltd [2024] FWC 2868 The employee, Mr Samad, was employed as a truck driver on Christmas Island and had been engaged by Phosphate Resources Limited (Phosphate Resources) for approximately 20 years. In or around April 2024, Mr…
Read MoreThe Fair Work Commission (Commission) recently ruled in favour of an employer who dismissed a highly intoxicated worker for harassment and sexual harassment at an offsite location, in a decision that reinforces that conduct outside of the workplace may still have a sufficient connection to employment, and therefore be subject to disciplinary action. Case Overview In this case, a female FIFO technician arrived at Brisbane airport to fly to her scheduled shift at a central Queensland mine site and was reportedly “extremely intoxicated.” While waiting for her flight the technician went to the airport lounge and ordered two more alcoholic…
Read MoreWhile other industries prepare to wind down for the year, things are only just starting to heat up for retailers across Australia. As the festive season fast approaches, managers are encouraged to plan their rosters in advance to ensure their stores are adequately staffed to meet increased customer demand over the Christmas peak trade period. In this article, we discuss the top three legal factors that managers, and HR professionals, should be mindful of when rostering employees across Christmas and New Year. Temporary Closures Like many modern awards, the General Retail Industry Award 2020 (Retail Award) contains provisions which dictate…
Read MoreThe Queensland Parliament has enacted significant reforms to the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld) (Anti-Discrimination Act) through the passage of the Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2024 (Amendment Bill). This legislation introduces changes designed to enhance workplace protections against discrimination and harassment. Key amendments include the introduction of a positive duty for employers, new definitions of discrimination, expanded protected attributes, and a shared burden of proof in complaints. These changes will commence from 1 July 2025, except for the changes to representative complaints, which will commence on 14 October 2024. What is changing in the Anti-Discrimination Act? Introduction…
Read MoreA Commonwealth Bank (CBA) employee who was terminated for sending abusive text messages to his manager has been unsuccessful in claiming that his termination was unfair because the text messages were sent outside of working hours. Background The manager received more than 50 messages from the employee in the early hours of the morning and late at night over 6 days in November and December 2024. Initially, the manager dismissed the texts and said that she had “not taken anything personal” and was “fine” to keep working with the employee. However, as the messages became more aggressive the manager explicitly…
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