Posts: Industry Notice

There is no doubt that swearing in the workplace is unacceptable - the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has repeatedly held that swearing in an abusive manner that is directed towards others is a valid reason for dismissal.

Workplace bullying can be extremely serious and should not be tolerated by employers.

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is responsible for ensuring compliance with workplace laws.

Employees making claims against their employers are able to name individuals they believe to have been involved in the contraventions of the FW Act that make up their claim.

Licensing schemes for labour hire operators will commence operation in both Queensland and South Australia in the first half of 2018, with the Victorian Government also introducing legislation into the State Parliament.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has announced a new anonymous tip-off service aimed at encouraging the general public to report businesses that they suspect are doing the wrong thing by employees.

Last month, the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) launched unprecedented legal action in the Federal Court against a large mushroom farm that paid hundreds of its employees based on how much they picked at a rate of 60 to 80 cents per kilogram. It is alleged that the employees had been exploited and underpaid almost $650,000 in eight months.

The plight of trolley collectors has been a focus of the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) for many years, and the Australian Industrial Relations Commission before that. In 2011, the FWO shifted its focus to the end users of the trolley collecting supply chain – big supermarkets.

It is quite common to be walking on a busy street or in a shopping centre and be approached by someone asking for a donation for a specific charity. Have you ever wondered about how much these “fundraisers” are being paid? Well, the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has.

The FWO has stressed that workers (i.e. labour hire and employees) must be paid the correct wage in accordance with the Horticulture Award. It is likely that the FWO will be closely monitoring the horticulture industry (and other industries where visa holders are predominately employed) given the high incidences of exploitation that have recently been reported in the media.

Employers seeking to undertake Commonwealth funded building and construction work will be required to ensure that their enterprise agreements comply with the 2016 Building Code by 31 August 2017 under a new Bill introduced in Federal Parliament.