The FWC has moved on its own initiative to introduce two weeks' unpaid "pandemic leave" for millions of award-covered workers, as the coronavirus crisis continues.
The FWC has expedited the hearing of the restaurant industry's bid to vary its award to boost hours and leave flexibility as it shifts to a COVID-19 business model based on takeaways and home delivery.
Restaurant employers have applied to the FWC to vary the industry award to provide more flexibility to deal with the coronavirus virus, following on from similar cases involving clerical and hotels awards.
The coronavirus pandemic requires a temporary but fundamental reconsideration of the Fair Work Act's safety net, according to a joint bid to vary a key award to provide substantial operational and hours flexibility.
The Australian Industry Group is working with the ACTU to fast-track changes to key awards to increase the flexibility of working hours and leave in response to the coronavirus crisis.
FWC President Iain Ross will this afternoon hear a joint application by the UWU and the Australian Hotels Association to vary the hospitality award 2010 to help businesses to save jobs as the coronavirus crisis bites.
The "exceptional circumstances" created by COVID-19 warrant delaying the operative date of any minimum wage increase by a fortnight to July 15, according to the Ai Group, while the Victorian Government is calling for a rise of at least 3%.
The importance of 'choice versus direction' in determining whether employees are working or not has been highlighted in an FWC decision considering the case of boat masters and crew having their unpaid meal breaks interrupted to assist passengers on multi-day dive trips.
New rules for recording the working hours of junior lawyers and paralegals are set to take effect from March, despite protests from major law firms, while up to a million clerical employees are set to be subject to similar provisions.
