Genuine concerns about an employee's mental health warranted directing her to undergo an independent medical examination, and her repeated failure to attend provided a lawful and valid reason for her dismissal, a tribunal has ruled.
Swearing might have been part of an employer's "everyday work culture", but a director's aggressive and confrontational language was unacceptable, the Fair Work Commission has ruled in a constructive dismissal dispute.
AI-powered agents that act without prompts are already being integrated into workflows, and it won't be long before managers are overseeing hybrid teams made up of both human and digital workers, according to a chief AI officer.
Allegations that prompted the sacking of a complaining employee were "based on flimsy foundations" and caused her mental harm, the Federal Court has ruled in awarding her $382k in compensation and penalties.
"Any reasonable adult worker" should understand that using offensive language to describe a CEO and other employees constitutes misconduct, a tribunal has noted in dismissing a sacked employee's application for reinstatement.
The involvement of dedicated HR specialists had an "adverse" impact on the procedures an employer followed when sacking a worker, and warranted an order for maximum compensation, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
A medical opinion stating it was "possible" that a disciplinary meeting "may have had an impact" on an employee's psychological condition did not come close to clearing her employer of liability for the injury, a tribunal has found.
Despite concerns about her "seriously disrespectful" conduct, an employer has lost a dispute about converting an employee to a permanent role, with the Fair Work Commission finding it backed out of "unequivocal" commitments.
As the workforce continues to undergo rapid, dynamic, non-linear and complex change, more organisations are turning to skills audits and talent mapping to avoid falling too far behind, a workplace culture specialist says.
It was "fanciful" for an HR professional to defend forwarding confidential work information to his personal email, according to the Fair Work Commission, rejecting that his dismissal "did not fit the crime".
Some employers have successfully stepped up to the task of managing psychosocial safety, but in many other workplaces, initiatives are falling flat. Join us for an HR Daily webinar to understand what's holding back progress in this critical space and how to move forward.
