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What constitutes abandonment of employment?

The Fair Work Commission has handed down a decision in relation to what constitutes abandonment of employment in Debora Tavares Alves v The Trustee for T.C. Future Investment Unit Trust [2025] FWC 2025. Background Ms Alves was an office manager at Future Investment, and following a medical issue, she was absent from work for an extended period of time. In…
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Christmas Parties: Obligations for Employers

With a busy month ahead for many businesses holding work social functions and Christmas parties it is a good time to consider your workplace policies and practices and how they apply to social functions and behaviour that is outside the usual office or workspace. Our regular, seasonal warning is about the multiple risks facing an employer in holding work Christmas…
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High Court confirms redundancy requirements and obligations

The High Court has handed down a judgement specifying the obligations in relation to redundancies in Helensburgh Coal Pty Ltd v Bartley [2025] HCA 29. Background Helensburgh Coal restructured operations following a decrease in demand in the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic. This resulted in a reduction in contractors and the number of employees reducing by 90, including 47 redundancies.…
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Qantas ordered to pay a $90 million fine for outsourcing jobs

On 18 August 2025, the Federal Court ordered Qantas airlines to pay a $90 million fine for making an unlawful decision to outsource jobs in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the largest and most significant contravention of the general protections of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) or its predecessor. On 30 November 2020, Qantas CEO, Paul…
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Contractor deemed to be an employee

Cropper v Energy Action (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2025] FCA 663 found that a contractor working for Energy Action, has actually been an employee for over 14 years. Background Mr Cropper, after many years working as an analyst, commenced freelance work and set up an ABN and commenced work for various clients. Cropper had a chance encounter with a…
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Dismissal for political opinion results in successful unlawful termination claim

The Federal Court of Australia has handed down a decision in Lattouf v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (No 2) [2025] FCA 669, an unlawful termination application by Antionette Lattouf, confirming that the Australian Broadcasting Association (ABC) breached the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) by dismissing Lattouf for expressing political opinions. Background Lattouf made various social media posts with her views on…
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