A tribunal member has rounded on an employer for its "reprehensible" response to being found to have unfairly dismissed a worker, describing as "wage theft" its tardy provision of backpay.
An FWC bench led by Justice Iain Ross has shot back at a full Federal Court direction to properly answer a question posed by the president himself, maintaining it had already done so before highlighting the relevant passages.
A full Federal Court has delivered a pointed rebuke to FWC President Iain Ross, finding it could not consider a challenge to the decision of a Commission full bench he led because it was not, "with respect, any decision. . . at all".
The FWC has granted a two-day extension for an aged care worker to file her unlawful dismissal claim after finding the combined circumstances - including the Christmas Eve deadline, her worsening bipolar disorder symptoms and the anniversary of her mother's death - to be exceptional.
The FWC has upheld Star Casino's sacking of a food and beverage server who said he tapped a colleague's bottom in an act of comradery, accused three workmates of entrapping him and threatened to "raise hell" for his employer.
An FWC member must rehear the unfair dismissal claim of a glazier sacked for frequent absences following surgery, a full bench finding he failed to consider whether the employer notified the worker of reasons later found to be valid or gave him a chance to respond.
The FWC has held that a service station operator "set about" dismissing a worker after she filed a compensation claim, unfairly sacking her over her pink hair, s-xual objectification of a male customer and derogatory comments, despite having some valid reasons.
The FWC has taken a disability care provider to task over the process followed in dismissing one of its workers, finding she was "summonsed" by its HR manager "to participate in an ambush of her employment".
The FWC has awarded more than $2000 compensation to a roadside supervisor dismissed after he inserted a metal bar down the rear of a co-worker's pants and directed crew members to collect refundable cans and bottles so he could give the money to his daughter.
In a case highlighting the dangers of failing to engage with underpayments cases, an employer who did not respond to a claim it short-changed a teenage worker by $8000 must now pay him an additional $240,000 in penalties.
