Rail freight operator Aurizon is to cut more than 300 jobs in central and north Queensland, with Rockhampton workers to bear the brunt of the impact as the city's historic maintenance workshops are shuttered.
A growing number of professions are running unlawful internship programs that prey on vulnerable young workers, according to a leading employment lawyer.
Qantas is once again being forced to defend its approach to employee classification, with the FWC today commencing a three-day hearing into allegations the airline is requiring senior catering coordinators to fulfil a similar role at significantly reduced pay after effectively rechristening their positions.
Employers needn't comply with rigid performance management processes when dismissing poorly-performing employees, as long as they can point to conscious and concerted efforts to address the worker's perceived shortcomings, the FWC has found.
Queensland's IR Minister Grace Grace today vowed to "drive out (the) cheaters and rorters" in the labour hire industry with the introduction of legislation requiring companies to hold annually-renewable licences.
The FWC has called on employers to introduce a greater range of disciplinary options like fines and unpaid suspensions into agreements to avoid "inappropriately lenient or inappropriately harsh" responses to misconduct that are problematic for all parties concerned.
The Federal Court has reserved judgment on whether hundreds of charity fundraisers for a major marketing agency can mount a class action to pursue it for alleged sham contracting.
Victoria's Andrews Government says it will legislate for a state-based labour hire licensing scheme that might not be limited to the three sectors recommended by last year's labour hire inquiry, while it will push Canberra to establish a national scheme.