Employment

A request to a female senior engineer for WSP to “get the coffees” during a client meeting did not amount to gender-based harassment, the Fair Work Commission has found in rejecting the engineer’s unfair dismissal claim.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has struck back at claims in a Fair Work suit brought by a graduate associate, denying liability for the alleged sexual harassment by the woman’s manager at multiple Sydney bars.

Charges accusing Victoria’s Department of Health of health and safety breaches during the state’s hotel quarantine program have been dropped on the eve of trial, after the state succeeded in excluding evidence submitted to an inquiry into the disastrous program.

A former engineer with Santos has won a bid for more time to bring a claim against the energy giant, with the Fair Work Commission finding “an error in arithmetic” by her lawyer was a reasonable explanation for the out-of-time filing.

Workplace investigations involving unwitnessed, conflicting accounts are among the most difficult situations for an employer, but findings can still be made, despite the “common misconception” there is nothing to tip the balance, according to experts. 

Swinburne University has underpaid around 1,800 casual staff $2.85 million, the latest university to admit it failed to compensate workers fully.

Two law firms behind underpayments class actions against Kentucky Fried Chicken have dodged a contest to run the litigation, agreeing to join their cases alleging the fast food giant denied tens of thousands of workers rest breaks.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has hit back at an employment suit filed by a former senior associate, saying the decision to terminate her employment was “entirely unrelated” to complaints she made about a supervisor’s “repeated bullying”.

Rebel Sport owner Super Retail Group faces mounting legal troubles as the law firm representing whistleblowers in a $50 million case says more employees have come forward with allegations the company concealed a relationship between the CEO and the former head of HR.

The Fair Work Commission has found a farm worker was unfairly terminated for coming to work after a big night out, during which he consumed up to 15 drinks.