An employer has failed to convince a Federal Court full bench that a director merely acted upon an HR specialist's recommendation to dismiss an employee for misconduct, and wasn't driven by an "improper motive" when making her decision.
"Ill-advised" and controversial social media posts were a substantial and operative reason for an employer's decision to sack a casual employee, the Federal Court has ruled in upholding her unlawful termination claim.
Allowing a supervisor to retract his resignation on the condition of returning to work as a team member amounted to a dismissal, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
Expressing frustration about management or operational issues "is a common incident of life at any workplace", and doesn't always qualify as a "complaint", the Federal Circuit Court has affirmed in adverse action proceedings.
Withdrawing a job offer after a candidate made "persistent phone calls and negative comments" could not have been an "illegal termination", because no employment relationship yet existed, the Fair Work Commission has found.
An executive's acceptance of a mutual separation offer via email amounted to a binding settlement, even though he never signed the deed of release, the Fair Work Commission has found in throwing out his general protections dispute.
Regularly pressuring an employee to work overtime posed a "real risk" to his health and safety, and was just one example of the repeated unreasonable conduct that forced him to resign, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
A young white employee "imputed with conservative political beliefs" has had his general protections bid thrown out, after a court found his claim was largely a "crusade" against diversity and inclusion.
The prospect of general protections claims lodged on the basis of employees' "future workplace rights" is an important area for employers keep an eye on, a lawyer says.
When an employer receives a complaint or becomes aware of a conduct issue, it's not always appropriate to go down a traditional disciplinary path. This HR Daily Premium Q&A will discuss alternative options and how to determine which is best in various circumstances.
Recent constructive dismissal claims highlight the risks involved in accepting a resignation from an employee who is experiencing mental health issues. Watch this Q&A to understand the rulings' implications for all employers.
