The Fair Work Commission has clarified when various elements of the new IR laws will come into effect and what steps it has taken to prepare for their "significant impact".
An employer has been barred from sacking a worker who might "never" return to full duties, while the Fair Work Commission decides whether she has a right to ongoing reasonable adjustments.
A large employer's "enthusiasm" to sack an employee causing "considerable angst" at work resulted in a severely flawed process, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
An employee has failed to prove that a workplace advisory service "threatened and coerced" her into settling her unfair dismissal claim on unfavourable terms.
"Clear shortfalls" in an employer's available staffing levels, which were "well in excess of typical absences", provided a reasonable business ground to refuse an employee's flexible work request, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
A debate about how Australia can "future-proof" work relations has seen widespread agreement that reform is needed, but conflicting opinions about how "sweeping" it should be.
The Federal Government's Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill has been introduced to parliament, and proposes to give employees more flexible work rights, while also tackling the gender pay gap, modernising enterprise bargaining, and more.
The Labor Government will introduce legislation for the first of its industrial relations reforms next week, Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has announced, and employers are already expressing "deep frustration".
