The Federal Court has given the FWO permission to pursue a case that "raises matters of public importance with implications well beyond the parties" that involves a company, now in voluntary liquidation, that allegedly obstructed the watchdog's inspectors.
Three payroll officers who "reverse-engineered" false records during an FWO investigation have been fined a total of $121,000 as part of the largest penalty order won by the workplace watchdog.
Coles says a class action seeking to recoup more than $150 million allegedly owed to salaried managers is without merit, given it is already on track to finalise its review and start re-paying affected employees.
The Fair Work Ombudsman concedes it has been drawn into unfamiliar territory by a spate of multi-million dollar underpayments by large corporations, telling a parliamentary inquiry that policing systemic payroll non-compliance at companies like Woolworths, Qantas and Wesfarmers "does not sit easily" with its historic role.
A court has tossed out the workplace watchdog's bid to force a franchisor to hand over documents relevant to an investigation after ruling that it issued an invalid notice to produce.
A 55-year-old former cabin crew manager is seeking $1.7 million in lost wages and super, plus future lost earnings until retirement and at least $200,000 in damages from Qantas for alleged sexual discrimination and harassment some 17 to 30 years ago, according to court documents the airline sought to keep under wraps.
The Federal Court will rule tomorrow on a Qantas bid to block access to documents lodged by a former employee who claims she has been subjected to s-xual and disability discrimination and s-xual harassment.
The law firm behind a multi-million-dollar class action against labour hire provider One Key Resources and One Key Holdings says it will test the ability of vulnerable workers legislation to hold parent companies to account.
An AMWU organiser has been fined $12,000 for threatening to blockade a building site and generate "bad PR" if the project refused to engage union members.