Posts tagged "closing loopholes"

Small businesses can now access an easy-to-read timeline of upcoming industrial relations reforms, as Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth urges entrepreneurs to acquaint themselves with significant changes to employment rules.

Australian workplaces and employees are only a few steps away from a legal "right to disconnect", allowing workers to mute their phones and shut off their laptops outside of working hours.

They may have partnered with the federal government on December's surprise industrial relations reforms, but a fresh report shows crossbench Senators Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock have significant concerns over the second half of Labor's Closing Loopholes package.

Australia's most prominent small business lobby has chastised Senate crossbenchers over a last-minute deal that saw "radical" industrial relations reforms pass into law this month.

The reaction of business groups and the Coalition to the government securing passage of its same job, same pay bill on Thursday — legislation that will prevent employers from outsourcing jobs to labour-hire firms that pay contracted workers less than award rates — was apoplectic, writes Bernard Keane.

The Albanese government's controversial industrial relations reform bill will be split in two, after a surprise agreement between Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke and Independent Senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie on the final parliamentary sitting day of the year.

Independent Senators Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock have successfully pushed four industrial relations reforms through the Senate, setting up a Lower House battle against a federal government still hoping to contain its contentious IR reforms in one giant bill. 

The Albanese government's recent concessions on industrial relations reform are nothing to cheer about, the Australian small business lobby says, arguing the proposed legislation will still level unwieldy and complex rules on SMEs.

The federal government has ceded ground to employer groups on contentious IR reform package, agreeing to change key proposals related to casual work.

COSBOA is locked in a staredown with Employment Minister Tony Burke, as the federal government refuses to split off elements of its highly contentious Closing the Loopholes industrial relations reform package.

Australia's new Fair Work Ombudsman says she is prepared to enforce criminal wage theft charges against dodgy employers, firing an early warning shot to businesses deliberately flouting the law.

Senate crossbenchers David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie are attempting to split the government's industrial relations reform package, arguing uncontroversial changes affecting small businesses should not be lumped in with measures likely to be debated well into the new year.