From Tuesday, 12 December 2023, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) will have new powers to commence an inquiry and ensure compliance when it ‘reasonably suspects’ an organization is not complying with its positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) (“Sex Discrimination Act”). The positive duty commenced in December 2022 following the passing of legislation to implement a recommendation in the Respect@Work Report.
On 1 July 2021, the Wage Theft Act 2020 (Vic) will come into effect. The Act makes it a crime for an employer to deliberately underpay employees, to dishonestly withhold employee entitlements or to fail to keep proper records of employee entitlements in order to gain a financial advantage. These crimes are punishable by a fine of up to AUD 198,264 or 10 years jail for individuals, and a fine of up to AUD 991,320 for companies.
The Fair Work Commission has found that an employer’s decision to not provide an employee with an at-home desk did not mean that the employee had no option but to resign from his job. The employee alleged that he was constructively dismissed when, as part of Victoria’s stage 3 coronavirus restrictions, his employer directed him to work from home but refused to provide him with or pay for a desk at his home. The Commission held that the employee could have purchased a desk himself or borrowed one from a friend.
This decision demonstrates that while employers should provide adequate equipment to allow employees to work from home, there will be a limit on what needs to be provided. Employers should assess what is reasonable and necessary on a case by case basis when requiring an employee to work from home.
To date of publication, there has been no government directive for all retailers to close or cease trading. In his announcement on 29 March 2020, the Prime Minister confirmed that there is no directive to close shopping centres although he urged Australians to only shop irregularly and only for essential…
On the same day as another workplace death occurred in Victoria, the government has announced new industrial manslaughter laws. Victoria next in line for industrial manslaughter offence Victoria looks set to be the third Australian jurisdiction to introduce the specific offence of industrial manslaughter. In 2003, the ACT began the…
ASIC has issued its final guidance on the content of whistleblowing policies. ASIC’s Regulatory Guide 270 ‘Whistleblower Policies’ sets out what information policies should contain in order for companies to be compliant with their obligations under the new Australian whistleblowing regime. You can read more about the new whistleblowing regime…