A senior member of the Fair Work Commission has knocked back an enterprise agreement containing a voluntary additional hours provision lodged by a labour hire company with a workforce of casuals on working holiday visas.
Hospitality and retail employers have detailed the substantial cuts they are seeking to penalty rates in the FWC's four-yearly modern award review, and say they will rely on expert evidence from a Deloitte economist to back their case.
A new study shows that more than half of employed Australians who receive additional pay for non-standard hours would stop working them if those penalties were removed, countering claims from some employers that the work patterns are a lifestyle choice.
Employment Minister Eric Abetz has moved quickly to douse suggestions from a junior minister that the federal government is looking to reform penalty rates, issuing a short statement this afternoon that any claims that it is planning to alter the way they are determined are "false".
In a new report, the Business Council of Australia has turned its sights on penalty rates, the permitted content of enterprise agreements and unwanted third party intervention in employment relationships, at the same time advocating that the safety net of pay and conditions be "strongly enforced".
Australia Post acted harshly in disciplining two employees who had solid OHS reasons for refusing to work additional overtime, but was entitled to transfer their union delegate for his aggressive reaction to the sanctions, the Fair Work Commission has found.
The SDA has successfully appealed against fast food and hair & beauty industry employers having greater flexibility in compensating employees for working on public holidays.
In an important decision, a Fair Work Commission full bench has ruled that regular overtime can be classified as earnings when determining whether the remuneration of workers making unfair dismissal claims is below the statutory limit.
