Shane Koelmeyer
Employee ordered to pay thousands in legal costs after dismissal claims found to be “without reasonable cause”
A former employee was ordered to pay his employer’s legal costs of more $12,000 after the Federal Circuit Court of Australia found the emp…
Facebook posts prove to be key evidence as Fair Work throws out employee’s unfair dismissal bid
Employees active on social media platforms, such as Facebook, fail to consider who might be able to see their personal online posts at any g…
Family and domestic violence leave: What all Australian businesses need to know about the new entitlements
In March 2018, the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission determined to introduce an entitlement to five days of unpaid leave for family and…
Employer ordered to pay $20,000 for telling conspiracy theorist to take sick leave
An employee who showed a keen interest in conspiracy theories has been awarded $20,000 in compensation after the NSW Civil and Administrativ…
Sacked worker wins $10,000 compensation despite using “grossly vulgar” language at work
A small business employer’s “disgraceful and grossly unfair” dismissal process has cost it over $10,000 in compensation, despite the F…
Employer ordered to pay $600,000 to former employee after failing to separate worker with violent criminal history prior to physical assault
The Queensland District Court (QDC) has found a specialist butchery business was negligent in failing to separate two co-workers before a ph…
Let’s talk a-boat gift giving in the workplace
Workplace gift giving can be a blessing and a curse for employers. On the one hand it brings out the generous, team-oriented qualities in em…
Can businesses accept an employee’s resignation if it is given in the heat of the moment?
We know people can say or do things they don’t mean when they’re under pressure, feeling stress or are angry.
In rare incidences (oft…
Can businesses accept an employee’s resignation if it is given in the heat of the moment?
We know people can say or do things they don’t mean when they’re under pressure, feeling stress or are angry.
In rare incidences (often i…
What the push for pay transparency in the Fair Work Act means for employers
In September 2015, the Fair Work Amendment (Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2015 (the Bill) was introduced in the Senate by the Australian Greens. The …
