CHANGES TO AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACE LAWS
The Australian Government has passed the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022. This legislation amends the Fair Work Act to change a number of existing Rules and introduces a range of new Workplace Laws.
Many of these changes started on 7th December 2022, but other changes start later.
Key Changes (Find out more about these changes and when they start):
Pay secrecy, job ads and flexible work
Gender equality measures and small claims process
Enterprise agreements and enterprise bargaining
Abolition of the ABCC and the ROC
What Applies Now
The following changes have started from 7th December 2022:
Job Security
– new workplace rights on disclosing pay and workplace conditions
Gender Equality Measures
– new protected attributes in the Fair Work Act:
– breastfeeding
– gender identity
– intersex status
– new objects of the Fair Work Act, modern awards and minimum wages
– equal remuneration principles and orders
– functions we perform, including around guidelines and community outreach in multiple languages
Enterprise Agreements and Enterprise Bargaining
– termination of enterprise agreements after their nominal expiry date
– sunsetting of ‘zombie’ agreements
– dealing with errors in enterprise agreements.
We will keep you updated when further changes take effect.
FURTHER IR REFORMS
A second tranche of IR reforms is expected to be introduced in 2023.
Workplace Relations Minister, Tony Burke, confirmed next year’s agenda would include clamping down on the use of labour hire, regulating the gig economy, and moves to reduce the use of casuals.
Please contact us if you have any queries or require any assistance.