Employment Law and Labour Law

In the first substantive rulings on Australia's right to disconnect laws, the South Australian Employment Tribunal has determined that an Adelaide hairdressing salon did not breach its apprentices' rights despite sending frequent out-of-hours messages via TikTok and Snapchat. The Tribunal drew a critical distinction between unwelcome communication and actually preventing employees from disconnecting, establishing that subjective pressure without demonstrable consequences does not constitute a breach.

Queensland's new Reportable Conduct Scheme, effective July 1, 2026, establishes comprehensive obligations for organizations working with children to investigate and report allegations of abuse or neglect. Schools, childcare centers, and other entities must navigate strict reporting timelines, procedural fairness requirements, and potential penalties for non-compliance.

A Queensland District Court case examines whether a residential care facility adequately protected a worker who suffered psychiatric injury after being threatened by a young person in her care. The case explores critical questions about staffing requirements, risk management protocols, and the impact of undisclosed pre-existing conditions on compensation claims.