General Protections
Unfair dismissal or justified? When visa issues lead to job loss
Was Costco right to dismiss worker over visa status? An NSW Costco employee who was sacked for working while on
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Employee Rights
Medical examinations in the workplace
Indepdendent medical examinations Provided they have a lawful and reasonable reason, an employer has the right to direct a worker
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Employee Rights
Unfair dismissal claims and Animals
We have often seen animals feature in unfair dismissal cases We have often seen animals feature in unfair dismissal cases,
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Employee Rights
Abandonment of employment and its absurd dismissals
How can an employee abandon their employment? Abandonment of employment is when an employee fails to go to work for
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Case Studies
Employee credibility plummets after blaming cologne for liquor reading
Employees less-than-credible ‘David Beckham cologne’ defence falls flat A Sydney garbage truck driver who argued that his “David Beckham cologne”
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Employee Rights
Remote work dismissals
Remote work dismissals: Did these workers take WFH privileges too far? Ever since working from home became widespread during the
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workplace investigations
Can I trust HR: Worker dismissed after sham allegations
You can’t trust HR: Manager’s ‘deception’ leads to unfair dismissal Many employees throughout their employment will question, ‘Can I trust
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Case Studies
4 dismissals that made headlines
Worker dismissed for calling manager a ‘rude c*nt” reinstated A Queensland council worker dismissed for inappropriate workplace behaviour has won
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Case Studies
Why dishonesty ruins unfair dismissal cases
Don’t lie to your boss: Why dishonesty ruins unfair dismissal cases A Sydney bus driver who was dismissed for lying
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Unfair Dismissal
Can I be dismissed for recording my employer?
Can I record my employer? The Fair Work Commission has continually ruled that secretly recording your employer in a workplace
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Employee Rights
Medical condition causes employee to lose her job
Medical conditions: Do I need to tell my boss? Many Australian workers are often unsure if or when they are
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Unfair Dismissal
Need for speed: slowing down in the workplace
Can you be dismissed for speeding? These two cases say yes An emergency response worker who was dismissed for speeding
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Employee Rights
Donald Trump fans discriminated after preaching political opinion
Can I express my political opinions without being dismissed Politics in the workplace can be complicated and awkward. There is
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Unfair Dismissal
Unclear work policy sees coke-using wharfie reinstated
Unclear work policy causes drug confusion A Sydney stevedore dismissed for testing positive for cocaine has been reinstated to his
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Unfair Dismissal
Knife-wielding chef wins unfair dismissal payout
Knife-wielding chef wins $17K unfair dismissal payout A Melbourne chef who was sacked for allegedly insulting colleagues and “aggressively” waving
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Bullying
Why does everyone have autism in the workplace
Why is there a rise of autism in the workplace? Autism, formally known as Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is
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Covid-19
Gary Pinchen: Australia’s workplace changes after Covid-19
By Gary Pinchen, Principal of A Whole New Approach Pty Ltd, with over 30 years of workplace experience. Gary is not
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Employee Rights
Dating app dismissals: Tinder ‘creep,’ Grindr priest and more
Dating app dismissals: 4 examples In the last few years, we’ve seen plenty of news stories about dating app dismissals.
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Case Studies
Dismissed for disobeying direction, worker wins 24K
Worker dismissed for not taking trash out wins 24K A Sydney dance instructor who was dismissed for disobeying direction of
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Bullying
Extreme workplace bullying: 5 shocking examples
If you have experienced extreme workplace bullying, discrimination or sexual harassment, you are not alone. The news headlines are never
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Case Studies
Dismissal for drugs at work: Cases that made headlines
Drugs at work result in quick termination It’s no secret that taking drugs at work is one of the easiest
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Employee Rights
Fair Work considers reinstatement after sick leave scandal
Flight attendant dismissed for Grindr hookup reinstated The Fair Work Commission considered reinstatement of a Virgin flight attendant who was
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Case Studies
Can you be dismissed at the end of a fixed-term contract?
NRL ref loses unfair dismissal claim due to fixed-term contract A former National Rugby League (NRL) referee has had his
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Employee Rights
Drugs and alcohol dismissals: different FWC outcomes
Dismissals for drugs and alcohol continue to be controversial in the workplace If your employer has a zero-tolerance drug and
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Bullying
A Mental Health Injury: Court overturns 115-year-old precedent
Mental health injury and unfair dismissal: Australian workers gain new protections The High Court of Australia has ruled that employees
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Bullying
Punishing bullies: Paramedic bully forced to work 350KM away
Paramedic transferred 350KM to punish bullying behaviour To punish bullies is a necessary skill employers must occasionally engage in to
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Employee Rights
Biometric surveillance: dismissed for upholding your right to privacy
The ethics of biometric surveillance in the workplace Most employees are used to the sight of video cameras recording them
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Unfair Dismissal
When revenge against your employer ends in tragedy
Why revenge against employer with FWC claims can backfire Revenge against your employer is often a strong motivator to make
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Employee Rights
Worker’s right to respond is denied: losing unfair dismissal claim
Captain denied the right to respond dismissed following $150K yacht collision A captain fired for causing $150,000 of damage to
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Case Studies
Theft at work, witnessed by ghost, results in bizarre unfair dismissal
4 example of bizarre dismissals involving theft at work Dismissal is often justified when an employee commits theft at work.
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Employee Rights
Workplace Surveillance: Are you being watched?
Workplace surveillance: When is it lawful? Workplace surveillance has become a growing concern for many Australian employees. Particularly as more
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Forced Resignation
Pressured employees win huge unfair dismissal payouts
Employee pressured to sign contract wins $42K unfair dismissal payout A Melbourne sales rep who was dismissed for refusing to
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Employee Rights
Right to disconnect laws
Right to disconnect laws: All you need to know Australia’s right to disconnect laws took effect in August 2024, providing
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