Australia: Employee Rights/ Labour Relations

This article examines the rise of AI wearables—particularly AI-enabled smart glasses—in the workplace, covering both employer-driven use cases (such as logistics, healthcare, and remote operations) and employee-driven use (including accessibility, personal devices brought to work and covert recording).

The International Court of Justice has issued a landmark advisory opinion confirming that the right to strike is protected under ILO Convention No. 87, a treaty Australia ratified in 1973. While this opinion doesn't immediately change Australian domestic law, it creates a significant new reference point that unions may leverage in litigation, enterprise bargaining, and industrial relations reform discussions. Australian employers face potential challenges to existing Fair Work Act restrictions on protected

When an employee stops attending work without explanation and doesn't respond to contact attempts, can an employer treat this as 'abandonment of employment'? The Fair Work Commission's recent Haque decision raises important questions about whether such situations constitute dismissal at the employer's initiative, potentially challenging established precedent and creating new risks for employers managing unexplained absences.

In this episode of Inside IR, Rohan Doyle and Mitchell Brennan use the recent Full Federal Court decision in AMWU v Opal Packaging Australia (May 2026) to explore the real-world implications of complexity in enterprise agreements. With four decision-makers across three forums arriving at four different interpretations of a relatively common status quo clause, the case is a stark illustration of enterprise agreement complexity, and how status quo clauses can be a source of competitive advantage for employers...

Employers who require employees to work from the office, who have historically worked from home and have children, may find their efforts frustrated by successful applications for flexible work arrangements...

Once your workers compensation claim has been accepted, the insurer will likely implement an injury management plan and a return-to-work program.

The Australian Government has raised the National Minimum Wage and Minimum Award Wages effective July 1, 2026, with weekly rates increasing from $948.00 to $1,004.90 and hourly rates from $24.95 to $26.44. What compliance actions must employers take to avoid penalties for underpayment, and how do these changes affect different worker categories including trainees, apprentices, and entry-level employees?

Workplace sexual harassment liability is not limited to employers and employees. A recent court decision confirmed that contractors, customers, and other third parties can be directly liable where their conduct occurs...

The NSW Government has deployed 20 new psychosocial-focused inspectors as part of a historic expansion of SafeWork NSW's compliance workforce, backed by a $344 million Workplace Mental Health package. These specialized inspectors will conduct proactive workplace assessments, enforce compliance through on-the-spot fines, and help employers identify and manage psychosocial hazards including bullying, harassment, excessive job demands, and exposure to traumatic events.