Katherine Dennis

Sick Pay Guarantee scheme: where to next?

Sick Pay Guarantee scheme: where to next?

Almost one year into its two-year pilot, the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee scheme has paid out more than one million hours of sick and carer’s leave to casual employees at a cost of more than $22 million.  The scheme is currently fully funded by the Victorian Government. 

Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill: Key Changes at a Glance

The Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill (Bill) passed both Houses of Parliament and received Royal Assent in early December 2022.

The Bill amends the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) to make changes across a wide range of areas including:

  • prohibiting sexual harassment in connection with work and introducing a sexual harassment dispute resolution process;

  • amendments to bargaining dispute provisions, including the introduction of intractable bargaining declarations and changes to workplace determinations;

  • industrial action changes including in relation to protected industrial action;

  • changes to enterprise agreement termination;

  • simplifying the initiation of bargaining;

  • abolishing the ROC and ABCC;

  • sunsetting zombie agreements;

  • introducing expert panels;

  • changes to the enterprise agreement approval process and streamlining the ‘better off overall test’;

  • significant changes to multi-employer bargaining;

  • prohibiting pay secrecy clauses in employment contracts and requiring advertising to reflect accurate and lawful pay;

  • changing the objects of the FW Act and increasing the small claims jurisdiction to $100,000;

  • introducing a right to make flexible working requests and an associated dispute resolution process; and

  • prohibiting fixed term employment contracts unless certain exceptions apply.

Sladen Legal has developed an overview of the key changes to the FW Act, including information about the timing of commencement of the changes. Sladen Legal’s summary of the key changes and timing can be accessed at the link below.


Jasmine O'Brien
Principal
M +61 401 926 108 | T +61 3 9611 0149
E: jobrien@sladen.com.au                                                                                                            

Katherine Dennis
Principal Lawyer
M +61 407 013 010 | T +61 3 9611 0151
E: kdennis@sladen.com.au

Stephan Hill 
Lawyer
T +61 9611 0165
E shill@sladen.com.au           

Refusal to comply with employer’s direction to return to the office found to be a valid reason for dismissal

Refusal to comply with employer’s direction to return to the office found to be a valid reason for dismissal

Employees previously worked from home exclusively because of public health orders that prevented them from attending the office due to COVID-19. Following the lifting of restrictions, some businesses have returned to the physical office while others have adopted a hybrid work arrangement.

Sacking Of Political Staffer By Email Deemed Unfair

Sacking Of Political Staffer By Email Deemed Unfair

In the recent decision of Pierce Field v Department Of Finance [2022] FWC 1619 (24 June 2022), the Fair Work Commission (FWC) found that procedural deficiencies (including dismissal via email) and the denial of natural justice outweigh instances where dismissal could otherwise be considered valid.

Will employment laws change after the election?

Will employment laws change after the election?

A Federal Election is anticipated in the first half of this year. If current opinion polls are to be believed there is a real possibility that the Government will change, which is likely to result in industrial relations reform. 

Sladen Snippet - Minimum wage increase of 3.5 per cent as of 1 July 2018

Sladen Snippet - Minimum wage increase of 3.5 per cent as of 1 July 2018

Today, the Expert Panel for annual wage reviews (Panel) of the Fair Work Commission (Commission) has held that it is appropriate to increase the modern award minimum wages by 3.5 per cent. The national minimum wage (NMW) will now be $719.20 per week (that is, $18.93 per hour). The determinations and order giving effect to the Panel’s decision will come into operation on 1 July 2018.