Category: Uncategorized

Pregnancy discrimination is unlawful treatment of an employee or job applicant because they are pregnant, might become pregnant, have recently given birth, or are breastfeeding. Under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), and state and territory anti-discrimination laws, it is against the law for an employer to dismiss, demote,…

If you’re a permanent employee, full-time or part-time, the short answer is usually no. Your contracted hours are a core term of your employment, and your employer generally can’t cut them without your agreement. Doing so unilaterally is, in most cases, a breach of contract. Casual employees are in a different position. Because casual work…

Being told you’re suspended is a gut punch. One day you’re at your desk, the next you’ve been walked out, your access has been cut, and you’re trying to work out what just happened and what it means. A work suspension is a temporary pause of your employment duties, usually while your employer investigates an…

General protections compensation is the financial remedy awarded to a person who has suffered “adverse action” because they exercised a workplace right, were discriminated against, or were caught up in sham contracting. Unlike unfair dismissal, which caps compensation at 26 weeks of pay, general protections claims have no statutory cap on what a court can…

Adverse action is any harmful act taken by an employer against an employee because that employee exercised a workplace right, engaged in industrial activity, or possesses a protected attribute. Under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), it includes firing, demoting, refusing to hire, or altering an employee’s position to their prejudice. For employees, understanding adverse…

Work Health and Safety (WHS) policies are formal, written documents that outline your organisation’s commitment to managing workplace hazards and protecting the health and wellbeing of every person who steps onto your worksite. A compliant WHS framework typically includes a general health and safety policy, emergency procedures, acceptable use policies, and specific hazard-control rules tailored…

If you’ve recently been dismissed and your first instinct was to ask ChatGPT whether you have a case — you’re not alone. Thousands of Australian workers are doing exactly the same thing. And it’s creating serious problems for everyone involved. In February 2026, Fair Work Commission President Justice Adam Hatcher delivered a landmark presentation to…

A WHS (Work Health and Safety) compliance plan is a documented strategy detailing how a business will identify hazards, mitigate risks, and ensure worker safety under Australian law. Developing a plan involves five critical steps: hazard identification, risk assessment, control implementation, training, and ongoing review. Use the step-by-step guide below to understand what a compliant…

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth), a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) is the primary legal entity responsible for ensuring health and safety in the workplace. A PCBU can be an individual (such as a sole trader) or an organisation (such as a company, partnership, or unincorporated association) and is…

WHS penalties in NSW now exceed $11 million for bodies corporate and carry up to 10 years’ imprisonment for individuals. Since 1 July 2024, NSW has significantly increased penalty rates under the Work Health and Safety Amendment Act 2023, with penalty amounts indexed annually using a penalty unit value of $123.31 for the 2025–26 financial…