Employer ordered to pay $150,000 to harassed employee
An employer has been handed a massive penalty after being found vicariously liable for the sexual harassment and assault of an employee by a colleague, in a recent Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal judgment. A female beauty therapist employed at ‘Man Oh Man’ suffered persistent sexual harassment from […]
ATAGI updates terminology regarding COVID-19 vaccine status
The term ‘fully vaccinated’ is being phased out in regards to COVID-19 vaccines, with ATAGI now recommending the use of ‘up to date’ and ‘overdue’. Since the introduction of public health orders relating to vaccines in late 2021, the term ‘fully vaccinated’ has been used as […]
Case Law Update: COVID-19 Vaccination Exemptions
The procedural fairness demonstrated by two employers has been recognised, in two recent decisions involving employees who had unsuccessfully sought exemptions from being vaccinated against COVID-19. Edwards v Regal Cream Products Pty Ltd [2022] FWC 257 In the first case, an unvaccinated employee (Edwards) was dismissed […]
High Court Hands Down Independent Contractor Judgments
The High Court has handed down two significant judgments in relation to independent contractor arrangements. Both decisions highlight the need for contractual terms to determine working relationships and the primacy of contractual terms. CFMMEU v Personnel Contracting [2022] HCA 1 In the first case, the CFMMEU […]
FWC Makes First Anti-Sexual Harassment Ruling
The Fair Work Commission has published its first decision relative to a claim using the new anti-sexual harassment jurisdiction, in a judgment delivered on 24 December 2021. The Applicant, THDL, sought an order against two employees of a neighbouring company which conducted its business in shared […]
New Mandate for Ride-Share and Passenger Transport
On Monday evening SA Health announced a vaccination mandate for passenger transport services operating from the airport. From 25 November 2021, all ‘point to point drivers’ (for example, drivers of taxis or ride-share vehicles) must not transport passengers to or from an airport unless they have […]
