Zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policies are back in the spotlight following the FWC's decision to reinstate a ship's master who crashed his ferry into a Sydney Harbour wharf 16 hours after smoking marijuana at home to relieve shoulder pain.
The Federal Court has awarded a nursing assistant $15,500 for her employer's failure to follow the three-strike disciplinary procedure in its enterprise agreement, but rejected her claims that it breached an implied term of trust and confidence in her employment contract.
A warehouse worker who claimed Linfox's social media rules infringed his "freedom of speech" has failed to overturn a ruling that his dismissal for repeated disregard of the company's policies was not unfair.
The Fair Work Commission has rejected an unfair dismissal claim by an overweight forklift driver after it found he had abused his managers after having received a final written warning for similar behaviour six months earlier.
In one of the first rulings since meal rooms became the default meeting place for union discussions with employees, the FWC has refused to issue an order giving the NUW unfettered access to workers at a Coles distribution centre, despite finding that the chain's new right of entry policy is inconsistent with the Fair Work Act.
The Fair Work Commission has removed urine testing from DP World's national drug and alcohol policy, but has also refused a union bid to impose a "three strikes" disciplinary process at four ports across the country.
The NSW police force has been ordered to pay $5,000 to an officer who had his transfer applications refused, partly because of his caring responsibilities.
Job candidates in Australia enjoy better privacy protection of their personal information than current or former employees, according to RMIT University's Professor Anthony Forsyth.
Retail and hospitality workers who are sexually harassed by customers at work might not feel they are able to report and deal with the abuse, according to university research.
The Fair Work Commission has emphasised that employers can insist workers comply with social media policies that regulate conduct outside the workplace, in upholding the dismissal of an employee who refused to sign an acknowledgement that he had undergone social media training.
