The Fair Work Commission has allowed a general protections dismissal claim to proceed against an organisation, despite it not directly employing the worker who alleges she was sacked at its direction.
An employer is reporting higher engagement and lower attrition risks among its workforce, following a technology transformation that increased the visibility of work in its pipeline.
After assuring an HR practitioner that her continuity of service wouldn't be broken when she transitioned from permanent to casual, an employer has nonetheless defeated her subsequent unfair dismissal claim by relying on an 11-day gap between her contracts.
A major review has largely rejected arguments that the Closing Loopholes reforms have had "unintended consequences" for employers, however it recommends that clearer guidance should be developed as a priority, to reduce uncertainty and complexity.
Reducing a casual employee's shifts amounted to a dismissal, and denying her an opportunity to respond to the decision rendered it harsh, unjust and unreasonable, the Fair Work Commission has found.
What defines a contingent worker remains "as clear as mud", according to a lawyer, who says employers must nonetheless step up their compliance efforts in line with increasing regulator activity.
An employer unfairly dismissed a casual employee when it informed her by text message that further shifts were "on hold" shortly after she announced she was pregnant, the Fair Work Commission has ruled in ordering her reinstatement.
All employers should consider putting in place a workplace s-xual harassment prevention plan, even though such plans are only expressly prescribed in one jurisdiction, according to a risk management expert.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on whistleblowing, placing employers firmly on notice that their response to a protected disclosure could be subject to intense scrutiny. Watch this webcast to understand the role HR plays in this challenging space.
