Uber's business model in Australia has survived another round of regulatory scrutiny, the FWO deciding not to take compliance action after determining that its drivers are not employees.
Former Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James has warned of IR specialists kept in cupboards, time bombs for HR managers and nightmare scenarios caused by "fundamental misunderstandings", in a speech to an Ai Group forum.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has foreshadowed a tougher approach to compliance and enforcement in 2019/20, with underpayment of workers in fast food, restaurants and cafes leading its priorities.
Fifty retrenched employees are suing of one of the world's largest defence contractors for alleged underpayment of leave and redundancy entitlements expected to exceed $1 million, with some veteran workers arguing that AWA transitional instruments continue to apply.
Employers with workers on annualised salaries have only to pay superannuation on standard hours at ordinary rates of pay, a full Federal Court led by Chief Justice James Allsop has ruled.
The FWO has launched a test case against the operator of a pop-up toy store, seeking to reverse the onus of proof for underpayments and rely for the first time on serious contraventions provisions that potentially expose the company and its director to 10 times the ordinary maximum penalties.
A veteran bank teller with grandchild caring responsibilities has persuaded the FWC that it would be unreasonable for her position to be relocated to branches requiring extra driving time of 70 minutes each day.