Recent news
Latest items of recent news relevant to Australia as reported in our fortnightly newswire ‘Dernières nouvelles’.
Australia: Failure to follow company policy could be breach of contract
An employer in Australia was recently found to have breached the terms of an employment contract by failing to follow the investigation procedure established in their harassment and discrimination policy …
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Australia: Ex-employee ordered to pay compensation for retaining company data
The Federal Court of Australia recently ordered an individual to pay their former employer 50,000 Australian dollars (approximately 39,000 US dollars) in damages after they retained company data following termination of employment …
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Australia: Average weekly earnings
In May 2014, 25% of all employees in Australia earned total cash earnings of 1,532 Australian dollars (1,184 US dollars) or more per week, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics …
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Australia: Review of Fair Work Act requested
Australia’s federal government has asked the Productivity Commission to review the Fair Work Act …
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Australia: Biggest cause of accidents is lifting, pushing, pulling or bending
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 531,800 individuals suffered a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months in Australia …
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Australia: Wage disputes irrelevant when considering reinstatement
The Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission in Australia has stated that any hostility between an employer and employee as a result of ongoing litigation concerning the underpayment of wages is irrelevant when considering the option of reinstatement in an unfair dismissal case …
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Australia: Employers must make employees aware of their duty of confidentiality
A recent case before the Australian Fair Work Commission has highlighted the importance of employers ensuring that all employees are aware of their duty of confidentiality when supporting colleagues in disciplinary meetings, Employees should be made aware that disciplinary action may be taken for breach of this duty …
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Australia: Proposed changes to the taxation of employee share schemes
Under proposed new employee share rules, certain younger companies in Australia will not be subject to upfront taxation when they provide options or shares to employees at a small discount, provided they are held by the employee for at least three years …
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Australia: Excessive delay leads to unfair dismissal ruling
The Australian Fair Work Commission recently found an employee to have been unfairly dismissed despite the fact that the employer had a valid reason to dismiss him …
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Australia: Wide interpretation of ‘workplace’ under sexual discrimination laws
In Australia, a case before the Full Federal Court has given an expansive interpretation of ‘workplace’ for the purposes of where discrimination or harassment may occur under the Sexual Discrimination Act …
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Australia: No implied duty of mutual trust and confidence
The Australian High Court has held that the implied duty of mutual trust and confidence, as defined in the UK case of Woods v WM Car Services (Peterborough) Ltd, should not be implied by law into all employment contracts in Australia …
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Australia: Pension contribution rate increases delayed
The government has delayed increasing the rate of employer contributions to superannuation funds in Australia …
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Australia: Pay should be provided together with annual leave
In a recent decision, the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission in Australia has clarified the rules on annual leave pay …
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