A six-member FWC full bench has today made a coronavirus-driven change to 99 modern awards to temporarily give an estimated 4.4 million workers access to two weeks unpaid "pandemic leave" and enable them to take annual leave at half pay.
The Morrison Government's legislation for the $1500 JobKeeper payments, to about six million workers, which has now passed the lower house, is based on Federal Treasurer John Frydenberg setting rules to govern how the payments are made and administered.
The FWC has upheld the sacking of a veteran Qantas engineer who slapped a flight attendant on the bottom and said he caused a mechanical issue so he could ask her out, rejecting his claim assault allegations should have required a higher burden of proof.
Baiada workers have voted to accept the same deal they rejected a month ago, after the FWC dismissed a union bid for bargaining orders to return the chicken giant to COVID-affected negotiations.
The JobKeeper legislation will amend the Fair Work Act to enable qualifying employers to lawfully change workers' hours, duties, days and location, while empowering the FWC to adjudicate disputes, IR Minister Christian Porter said today.
In the first significant pandemic-related dispute over mass lay-offs to come before the FWC, the Federal Court's transcription service provider has been criticised for making "hollow" consultation promises and reminded to treat workers "with dignity in this time of crisis".
Federal Parliament is set to pass the Morrison Government's $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy tomorrow after changes agreed last night between IR Minister Christian Porter and ACTU secretary Sally McManus.
The FWC's minimum pay panel has extended the annual wage review timetable so it can factor the latest national accounts data into assessing the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, but is yet to decide whether "exceptional circumstances" warrant a delay in the operative date.
Porter rejects McManus model for JobKeeper casuals; Legislation only sure way to change awards, agreements, says Porter; Parliamentary library paper considers coronavirus wage subsidy programs; Analysis weighs up JobKeeper; Non-parties excluded from Federal Court "law search"; and McManus discusses JobKeeper, coronavirus measures.
