Employment Law Handbook

24/10/2025

CASE LAW: A Victorian video production company was fined $40,000 for failing to provide a safe working environment, after an employee reported being sexually harassed.

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/case-law/sexual-harassment-complaint-against-sole-director-costs-video-company-40-000/

22/10/2025

BULLETIN: The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) prosecuted a franchisor for pay and entitlement contraventions by its franchisee.

Where an employer is also in a franchisee arrangement, the franchisor can bear legal responsibility for the failure of the employer franchisee to meet its obligations under the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) in relation to record keeping, and payment of wages and provision of entitlements. This legal r...

16/10/2025

NEW: Find out what legal obligations you owe to employees who are working from home, and how to meet them, in the brand-new Employment Law Handbook chapter, Working from home.

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/chapters/working-from-home/

15/10/2025

BULLETIN: An employer that runs Victorian cemeteries recently sought a 7-day notice period for industrial action.

When employees and unions seek to take protected industrial action in relation to bargaining for an enterprise agreement, they are required to give 3 working days’ notice of the action. An employer can apply to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for a longer period of notice of up to 7

13/10/2025

Q&A: If an employee seeks to withdraw their verbal resignation, must you accept it? Find the answer in the Employment Law Handbook.

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/question-and-answer/must-we-accept-a-withdrawal-of-resignation/

09/10/2025

BULLETIN: How important is documentation when actioning things like redundancies? Could it be used as evidence for or against adverse action claims? Get the lowdown in the latest Workplace Bulletin.

When a claim is made under the general protections provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the Fair Work Commission or a court will presume that you took the adverse action for the prohibited reason, as alleged, unless you can prove otherwise. The evidence you have to prove why

06/10/2025

CASE LAW: After long negotiations, the Fair Work Commission approved a request to vote on a multi-enterprise agreement despite objections from one of the unions.

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/case-law/voting-on-rail-agreement-approved-after-electrical-trades-unions-bargaining-complaints-dismissed/

02/10/2025

BULLETIN: The Fair Work Commission recently had to consider whether an employee who resigned had in effect been forced to resign by the way her employer handled her sexual harassment complaint.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently had to consider whether an employee who resigned had in effect been forced to resign by the way her employer handled her sexual harassment complaint. Forced resignation An employee whose employment has ended cannot seek dismissal remedies under the Fair Work A...

29/09/2025

Q&A: How can you vary the days of work for a part-time employee if you have to include days in their contract?

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/question-and-answer/can-we-vary-a-part-time-employees-days-of-work/

23/09/2025

Q&A: Are pieceworkers entitled to receive long service leave in Victoria? Find the answer in the Employment Law Handbook.

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/question-and-answer/are-pieceworkers-entitled-to-long-service-leave/

18/09/2025

BULLETIN: In this week’s bulletin, we examine two applications before the Fair Work Commission seeking stop bullying orders.
https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/bulletin/when-employees-perceive-performance-management-as-bullying-part-2/

17/09/2025

TIP: Today’s tip is in honour of International Equal Pay Day, when we recognise the imbalance of pay between men and women around the world and commit to doing our part to make a change. Part of our efforts in Australia to achieve pay parity is to report on our workplace gender equality to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Did you know that this year, there were some changes to what large employers need to report? You can find out about your reporting obligations in the Employment Law Handbook chapter Gender Equality Reporting: https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com.au/chapters/gender-equality-reporting/
Find out more about International Equal Pay Day: https://www.un.org/en/observances/equal-pay-day