On 8 April 2020, the Commonwealth Parliament passed amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) to assist employers who qualify for the JobKeeper scheme to deal with the economic impact of the Coronavirus.
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has acted on applications made by employer associations and unions by varying a number of awards to introduce temporary flexibility provisions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health orders. These important measures aim to provide employers with the flexibility to resource their businesses appropriately in the current climate whilst maintaining compliance with the applicable modern award, allowing them to continue active operations and retain employees.
The Federal Government has introduced a proposed Bill to amend the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) to allow employees who believe they have been subjected to workplace bullying to have their grievance heard in the Fair Work Commission (the FWC), a move that may potentially lead to an influx of