10 National COVID-19 safe workplace principles announced The National Cabinet has agreed to 10 ‘National COVID-19 safe workplace principles’ to underpin the development of further work health and safety (WHS) guidance on COVID-19. Safe Work Australia (SWA) will develop and endorse the guidance to help employers manage health and safety...
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The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has yesterday issued advice requiring employers to adopt a “one in, all in” approach in respect of the JobKeeper scheme. This means that employers must nominate all employees (i.e. not just a select few), although employees can choose not to participate in the scheme (for...
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On 8 April 2020, the Fair Work Commission (Commission) made temporary changes to 99 modern awards via the insertion of a new Schedule, which provides employees with: an entitlement to take unpaid ‘pandemic leave’; and the ability to take annual leave at half pay. These changes apply until 30 June...
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On 8 April 2020, the Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus (Measures No.2) Bill 2020 passed both Houses of Parliament, temporarily inserting Part 6-4C into the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Act). This Bill is awaiting Royal Assent. Fortnightly payment As addressed in our 7 April 2020 Legal Alert, under the JobKeeper Scheme, eligible employers...
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Yesterday, Christian Porter MP disclosed further details of the Government’s ‘JobKeeper’ legislation, which will amend the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to enable qualifying employers to: Implement “JobKeeper enabling stand downs”, allowing employers to alter hours worked by employees while applying the Act’s existing ‘useful employment test’, while “taking into...
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We are aware that there is inconsistent advice circulating as to whether permanent employees lawfully stood down under the stand down provisions in Part 3 – 5 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Act) are entitled to be paid for public holidays that occur within the period of the stand...
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A recent decision of the Fair Work Commission (Commission) in Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union v Auscript Australasia Pty Ltd highlights the importance of employers complying with mandatory consultation obligations in respect of COVID-19 related redundancies. Summary In January 2020, Auscript determined to close or partially close its offices in...
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Federal Parliament is likely to pass the $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy tomorrow in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic after the ACTU and the Labor Party indicated they would support the changes. While the full details of the legislative changes are yet to be released, the Government has recently revised...
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The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has expressed the view that it will introduce two (2) weeks’ unpaid “pandemic leave” in all modern awards in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FWC is also proposing to allow employers and award-covered employees to agree to take up to twice as much annual...
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