2020 Employment Law Wrap-Up
2020 is sure to be remembered as the year where the only certainty was uncertainty. COVID-19 and related challenges have changed countless industries, and prompted sweeping employment [...]
“Rapacious” underpayment claims succeed
Despite characterising the claims as “rapacious”, the Federal Circuit Court has awarded over $1.3 million to a group of former Macquarie Bank wealth advisors for unpaid entitlements. [...]
JobKeeper Update: What’s changing from 28 September 2020?
By now, many businesses will be preparing for reduced JobKeeper payments which start from 28 September 2020. During the first extension period of the JobKeeper scheme, from [...]
No Signed Employment Contract: An Expensive Mistake
A signed employment contract is often the bedrock of good risk management. For me, it’s as important [...]
JobKeeper 2.0: What’s changing?
COVID-19 has proved to be a stubborn thorn in the side of Australia’s economic recovery. Thus, it [...]
JobKeeper enabling stand down: the burden of reduced hours must be fair
The introduction of JobKeeper was accompanied by changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (“FW Act”) [...]
Independent Contractor Relationships: “An Area Replete With Traps For The Unwary”
The use of independent contractors instead of employees may seem an attractive alternative for some businesses during [...]
Jobkeeper enabling direction: you can’t treat all employees the same
Many of the new powers that employers have under the jobkeeper amendments to the Fair Work Act [...]
Exciting Announcements for WestmoreJacobs®
Promotion to Associate: Katherine Stewart We are excited to announce that Katherine has received a well-deserved promotion [...]
Uncertain Times: 1.75% Staggered Wage Increase
On 19 June 2020, the Annual Wage Review 2019-2020 decision was handed down by the Fair Work Commission. This decision followed the review of the national minimum [...]
The Pitfalls of JobKeeper and COVID-19 Work Practices
The Pitfalls of JobKeeper and COVID-19 Work Practices The JobKeeper scheme is an ambitious lifeline to employers, codified in legislation less than two weeks after its initial [...]
JobKeeper: A Novel Response to a Novel Virus
Governments around the world have adopted a range of contemporary economic solutions to the COVID-19 crisis. The JobKeeper package is no exception. On 9 April 2020, the [...]