Employment

A law firm that has filed seven class actions on behalf of casual coal mine workers is looking to discontinue two of those cases, after the High Court dealt them a serious blow by finding that those who work regular shifts are not entitled to paid leave and other entitlements under the Fair Work Act.

Employment law experts say the current lawsuits challenging COVID-19 vaccine mandates are likely to fail, and that future lawsuits lurking around the corner will also face a high bar.

Westpac has agreed to pay thousands of employees across Australia a total of $6 million in unpaid long-service leave entitlements as part of a court-enforceable undertaking to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Eight companies in the Dubai-based Emirates Group have lost a court bid to recoup more than $10.5 million paid to Australian staff during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mistaken belief that the money would be repaid as part of the federal government's JobKeeper subsidy scheme.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth has nabbed two prominent industrial relations professionals with nearly fifty years combined experience from Herbert Smith Freehills to expand its employment and labour group.

A Queensland lawyer’s name has been removed from the local roll after eight weeks of “disgraceful, disturbing and dishonourable” conduct while unlawfully acting for a friend in an estate dispute.

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.

A trade mark attorney has sued boutique IP firm Marquette, alleging she was fired for complaining about her treatment by a supervisor who had been practising as a lawyer for less than a year.

Maurice Blackburn is being sued by a factory worker who claims the law firm's negligence in failing to file a lawsuit on time cost him the opportunity to recoup significant damages from his former employer for physical and psychological injuries sustained while on the job.

A judge has admitted in a $2 million false imprisonment lawsuit against him that he had no power to sentence the owner of a Cairns tour company to 12 months in jail for contempt of court.