FWO

The University of Melbourne has hit back at the Fair Work Ombudsman’s allegations that it took adverse action against two casual academics to prevent them from claiming payment for extra hours worked, but admitted a supervisor penned an email referring to one of them as a “self-entitled Y-genner”.

A judge has found four drivers working with transport company Avert Logistics are independent contractors despite the business supplying vehicles for them.

A class action settlement with Woolworths which “troubled” a Federal Court judge has been abandoned, with the lead applicants resuming their bid to intervene in a parallel proceeding brought by the Fair Work Ombudsman against the supermarket giant.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal proceedings against the Sushi Bay group of restaurants and its owner for allegedly underpaying workers to the tune of $650,000.

Saying it will only benefit the law firm and lead applicants, a judge has refused to approve a settlement in an underpayments class action against supermarket giant Woolworths, which would see no payout to employees.

Fast food giant McDonald’s has been hit with a class action alleging it systematically failed to provide employees with paid 10 minute rest breaks.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken supermarket giant Coles to court for allegedly underpaying more than 7,800 staff members $115 million over three years.

Woolworths has agreed to pay $1.75 million in Adero Law’s legal costs as part of a settlement of an underpayments class action which will see group members recoup any amounts they are owed in a separate proceeding brought by the Fair Work Ombudsman rather than the class action.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and CommSec to court for allegedly knowingly underpaying almost 7,500 employees over $16.4 million through the use of individual agreements.

Supermarket giant Woolworths will pay an additional $50 million to current and former salaried team members and has provisionally settled an underpayments class action against it.