Employment

The former chief of staff for independent MP Monique Ryan says the Commonwealth engaged in “hostile conduct in the workplace” when it fired her after she refused to work “unreasonable” hours, according to newly released court documents.

Stock broker Fortrend Securities has filed a suit alleging wealth manager Shaw & Partners sent unsolicited welcome letters to clients as part of a scheme involving two former advisors.

A judge has rejected arguments by the Fair Work Ombudsman that the CFMMEU should be slugged with a penalty close to the maximum for the conduct of union officers who failed to show entry permits at a worksite, but she has imposed personal penalties against two officers with a record of prior breaches.

High-profile teal independent Monique Ryan has been hit with a lawsuit by her ex-chief of staff and political activist Sally Rugg, who alleges her former boss breached protections in the Fair Work Act during her employment. 

A judge has found a BHP mine took adverse action against a labour hire worker by excluding him from entering a Queensland mine after he complained about safety, rejecting arguments that the mine could not take adverse action because it did not employ the worker directly.

A judge has approved a $5.8 million settlement in an underpayments class action against convenience store chain On The Run despite what she said was the class action law firm’s “extraordinary” reason for reaching the deal.

The Australian Law Reform Commission has recommended the government abolish exceptions for religious schools in federal anti-discrimination legislation, but permit schools to give preference to prospective applicants on religious grounds. 

Two former staffers of senator Jacqui Lambie who represented themselves in an unsuccessful unfair dismissal case have been hit with nearly $50,000 in legal costs each due to their “unreasonable conduct” in the case, including attempts to turn the proceeding into “a trial by media.”

A full bench of the Fair Work Commission has overturned a ruling that a Virgin Australia flight attendant was unfairly sacked, finding she breached the airline’s policies by sleeping on the job and stashing snacks in her crew bag.

A former Norton Rose Fulbright digital marketing manager has dropped her appeal of dismissed claims against two of the firm’s human resources managers in a case alleging she was fired after she complained of bullying and sex discrimination by her supervisor.