Employment

The Fair Work Commission has thrown out an unfair dismissal claim brought by an “utterly unrepentant” automotive mechanic, who described the COVID-19 pandemic as a “scam” and repeatedly breached NSW public health orders.

Clothing chain Cotton On Group and jeweller Lovisa are the latest targets of potential underpayments class actions for allegedly failing to pay employees for extra hours worked.

McDonald’s has been hit with a lawsuit on behalf of 339 employees across four states alleging it systematically failed to give workers paid 10-minute breaks, a month after a class action was filed against the fast food giant for allegedly denying workers rest breaks.

A judge has suggested that a class action against the New South Wales government over a mandate requiring healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 should be de-classed, saying it was a “straightforward point” because no financial relief was sought.

Engineering company UGL Limited has denied wrongdoing in a class action on behalf of casual aluminium construction and manufacturing workers who were allegedly underpaid for over three years, saying they were, in fact, overpaid.

A judge has dismissed an urgent application to block Qantas from taking disciplinary action against unvaccinated employees, but the airline has committed to extending their leave with pay until a challenge to its COVID-19 vaccination policy can be heard.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has been hit with a $45 million lawsuit by the Finance Sector Union for allegedly failing to provide thousands of employees with paid rest breaks for at least six years.

Labour on-hire and recruitment company CoreStaff has settled a class action alleging it lured workers to Australia from Papua New Guinea with the promise of long-term work, only to terminate their employment agreements less than three years after they relocated.

A law firm has escaped an order for costs sought by a Melbourne city council that argued the firm had turned a blind eye to a client’s lack of credibility in an unfair dismissal case.

Herbert Smith Freehills has picked up a leading work health and safety lawyer from Clyde & Co to join the Big Six law firm in Sydney as special counsel.