13 Sep 2018 | Archive
Australia’s largest voice for small business, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said a Federal Court decision that overrules the existing understanding of casual employment risks serious damage to the Australian labour market.
“The Court’s decision to allow an employee hired and paid as a casual access to paid annual leave will not just place at risk the employment arrangements of Australia’s casual employees, it will cost the economy billions of dollars in compliance and liabilities,” Australian Chamber CEO, James Pearson, said
“The regulatory and legal implications of this decision are alarming.
“This decision is a king hit on the livelihoods of Australian employers and employees – in particular small businesses.
“Employers will have to work out urgently if they have to offer fewer casual jobs in case the work becomes too regular, creating unintended consequences and liabilities.
“Inflexible rules in most workplace awards mean casual employees, who might be deemed permanent because of the Court’s decision, may be locked into fixed hours. That means they lose out on being able to choose their shifts, change their hours or pick up extra hours when they become available.
Mr Pearson said the decision places at risk the extra pay and flexibility for the many employees who want to work as a casual. Students, parents and carers who rely on these arrangements will lose out.
“A casual employee is generally paid a higher rate to make up for the fact that they don’t get permanent employee entitlements such as paid leave.”
“This decision has the potential to create billions of dollars in liabilities for Australian businesses, most of which are small businesses,” Australian Chamber CEO, James Pearson, said today.
“How can it be fair that an employer can pay a higher casual rate in lieu of things like paid leave, follow the rules in their award or enterprise agreement – and then face penalties and have to pay again for leave? To a lot of people, it looks like double-dipping.”
“People running small businesses have told me this could send them to the wall and that means thousands of people could lose their jobs.”
“What’s more if businesses are bankrupted and employees laid off, the existing Government guarantee of termination entitlements will see taxpayers foot the bill.”
“This highlights yet again how our workplace relations laws are poorly designed for the job they need to do. Parliament urgently needs to change the Fair Work Act so it’s clear people employed and paid as casual employees, are casual employees. Employers and employees need to have certainty and confidence about their futures.”
13/09/2019
The Australian Chamber is delighted to announce Bryan Clark, Director of ACCI Trade & International Affairs, has been appointed to the Government’s Deregulation Taskforce, announced...
8/08/2019
The Australian Chamber is calling on the country's political leaders to agree to reform our vital Vocation Education and Training (VET) system, to deliver the skills...
6/08/2019
The Australian Chamber backs the latest call for greater balance in the unfair dismissal system to better support small business owners trying to do the right...
5/08/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes today’s announcement that the Productivity Commission will focus on streamlining regulation in the resources sector. "The joint announcement...
30/07/2019
By James Pearson, Chief Executive Officer In August 1985 Bob Hawke proclaimed that the Australian government had had enough of “the Building Labourers Federation’s complete...
23/07/2019
The Government has called time on union officials with deep pockets, arrogant attitudes, and combative lawyers thumbing their nose at our laws, our courts and...
22/07/2019
By James Pearson It's the year 2030. China has overtaken the US as the world's largest economy. The fastest growing cities are located in...
18/07/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Australia’s employer representative to the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation (ILO), says union opposition to proposed legislation...
18/07/2019
Today’s release of a report on Government-funded vocational training by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) showing a further decline in investment, reinforces the...
4/07/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia’s largest and most representative business network, warmly welcomes the passage of the personal income tax package through the Senate. “The...
4/07/2019
Australia's largest and most representative business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the Federal Government's reintroduction of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations)...
1/07/2019
Australia’s largest and most representative business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls on the Parliament to pass the Government’s personal income tax...
1/07/2019
Australian Chamber – Tourism, the peak body of Australia’s tourism organisations welcomes the expansion of the Working Holiday Maker visa program. “The Australian Chamber-Tourism has...
24/06/2019
Australia’s largest and most representative business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomes the Prime Minister’s commitment to review Australia’s Industrial Relations system...
19/06/2019
Australian Chamber – Tourism, the peak body of Australia’s tourism organisations, acknowledges the release of the International Visitors Survey today. The survey shows strong performance for...
18/06/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends for the June quarter 2019 released today, shows a slowing in manufacturing business...
11/06/2019
By James Pearson With the final seats being declared in the federal election, the government and opposition frontbench teams in place and parliament set to...
5/06/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia’s largest and most representative business network, today expressed disappointment at the latest National Accounts figures showing lower...
4/06/2019
The Reserve Bank Board’s decision to lower the cash rate to 1.25% today has been welcomed by Australia’s largest business network, the Australian Chamber of...
3/06/2019
Australia’s largest business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, congratulates the new Labor Shadow Ministry on their appointments and welcomes Federal Opposition Leader Anthony...