"Generic and blanket HR answers" aren't sufficient alone to establish that an employer has reasonable business grounds to refuse a flexible working arrangement request, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
An employee has been ordered by the Fair Work Commission to return to the office one day per week, after refusing a reasonable direction to do so while his flexible work dispute was being determined.
Shift notifications and emergencies are specifically catered for in the Fair Work Commission's draft 'right to disconnect' clause, but detailed guidance won't be provided until after the new right is in place.
New delegates' rights could lead to an uptick in general protections claims and more "adversarial" relationships with employees, so it's important for employers to get up to speed on the changes quickly, a workplace lawyer warns.
From next month, independent contractors will have access to a new jurisdiction for disputing contract terms, and the Fair Work Commission has revealed the first details of how that will operate.
A "significant variation" in an employee's regular work pattern shortly before she reached her one-year work anniversary meant she wasn't entitled to convert from casual to permanent, the Federal Circuit Court has found.
The Fair Work Commission has issued its first 'same job, same pay' order, which will potentially result in pay rises of up to $20k for covered workers.
"Mapping out" how, when and why employees are contacted after hours will help employers prepare for the right to disconnect reforms, and alleviate some of the uncertainty that accompanies these changes, according to a workplace lawyer.
Mining giant Thiess has agreed to directly employ 27 labour hire workers, and raise their pay by $30k, in response to the Mining and Energy Union's 'same job, same pay' application.
