23 March 2021
Background
Today, the House of Representatives is expected to pass amendments to the Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia’s Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2021 (Bill) made in the Senate last Thursday night.
What is changing?
The only provisions left in the Bill after amendments following negotiation with the Senate cross-bench are those relating to casual employment – with some relatively minor amendments which were proposed by the Government and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. A summary of the changes and their likely effects are set out below.
The casual provisions apply to new employees and existing casual employees engaged prior to the amendments taking effect, with a 6 month transitional period for conversion provisions.
What didn’t make it through, and what’s the future of reform?
The remaining provisions of the Bill failed to gain the cross-bench support required in the Senate, including provisions relating to:
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award flexibility, including simplified additional hours agreements and flexible work directions;
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enterprise agreements, including amendments to voting and approval requirements; and
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greenfields agreements.
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Provisions introducing tougher penalties for wage theft were also dropped by the Government, despite having cross bench support.
This follows the Government earlier dropping controversial changes to the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) in the hope of gaining support for the entire omnibus Bill.
The Bill as passed leaves unresolved deficiencies in the industrial relations system, in particular lingering concerns about the viability of enterprise bargaining. And although there still remains the possibility of further reform to the Fair Work Act, the chances of this occurring before the next federal election are fairly low.
Summary of changes
The table below summarises the key aspects of the reforms to casual employment which will form part of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), once passed by the parliament.
To open a separate attachment of the table below, please click here.
Issue |
Changes made |
Effect |
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The Bill introduces a definition of casual employee. A person will be a casual employee if:
The definition expressly provides that the only considerations in determining whether no firm advance commitment to continuing and indefinite work according to an agreed pattern of work for the person is made are:
The definition also makes clear that:
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The amendments will create certainty in relation to who is a casual employee.
There is no current definition of casual employee in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). Modern awards, enterprise agreements and employers usually define casual employment as “employment where the employee is paid and engaged as a casual employee.” However the Full Federal Court decision in WorkPac Pty Ltd v Rossato (2020) 72 AILR ¶103-177; [2020] FCAFC 84 (Rossato) (and earlier decisions) developed the meaning of the term casual employee at common law with a focus on the substance of the relationship between the parties and their later conduct during the course of the employment.The new definition puts the focus back on the offer of employment and what is agreed between an employer and employee, not the later conduct of the parties. The status of an employee’s engagement cannot vary from time to time, based on a court’s assessment of the conduct of the parties, independently of their intention, or even their knowledge. The status can only change as a result of conversion (referred to below), or the acceptance of an alternative offer of employment. Employers will need to review their current arrangements with casuals to determine the nature and extent of any risk that claims for permanent entitlements for the past might be made. Employers will also need to consider devising a new system for the engagement of casuals in the future to ensure they can leverage the certainty and risk minimisation provided in the Bill. Careful drafting of offers of employment will be critical. |
2. Casual conversion |
The Bill introduces a requirement for employers (other than small business employers) to make an offer to a casual employee to convert to full-time employment or part-time employment if:
However an employer will not be required to make an offer if there are reasonable grounds not to make the offer and the reasonable grounds are based on facts that are known, or reasonably foreseeable, at the time of deciding not to make the offer. Reasonable grounds include:
which cannot be accommodated within the days or times the employee is available to work during that period;
The Bill includes notice requirements for the making, acceptance and refusal of such offers. |
The amendments will provide a more certain mechanism for casual employees and employers to change the nature of the relationship (where such a conversion clause does not already exist in a modern award or enterprise agreement).
Employers will need to consider implementing processes and procedures to ensure compliance with the conversion obligations. In doing so, attention should be paid to any existing enterprise agreement or award obligations to ensure employers have access to the protections against double-dipping.
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A casual employee may also make a request to convert if:
An employer must not refuse the request unless:
The examples of reasonable grounds are the same as those for refusing to make an offer, and also include that it would require a significant adjustment to the employee’s hours of work in order for the employee to be employed as a full-time employee or part-time employee. Again, the Bill includes notice requirements for the making, acceptance and refusal of such requests. |
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3. ‘Double dipping’ |
The Bill introduces ‘double dipping’ provisions which allow a court to offset casual loading amounts paid to an employee against certain entitlements that the casual loading was paid in compensation for, during a period when that employee was not a casual employee.
They apply where:
When making any orders in relation to the claim, a court must reduce (but not below nil) any amount payable by the employer to the person for the relevant entitlements (the claim amount) by an amount equal to the loading amount. There are provisions to reduce the claim for a proportionate amount subject to the terms of the loading amount. |
In the event the statutory definition of casual employee is not satisfied for any particular period, casual employees may still make claims to access permanent employment entitlements.
If claims are determined in the employees’ favour, however, and they are awarded access to permanent employment entitlements, there is a mandatory deduction from any court order of any identifiable casual loading already paid. The wording here is quite unequivocal, and addresses the findings in Rossato.
These changes will help employers quantify the risk in relation to claims for permanent entitlements for the past that might be made.
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4. Small claims procedure |
The Bill allows for proceedings to be dealt with as small claims proceedings to the Court in connection with a dispute relating to:
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The provisions will allow the Court to deal with small-claims style disputes about casual conversion.
The Bill indicates that the orders that a Court may make include orders requiring employers to “consider” whether they must make an offer or grant a request, or prevent an employer from relying on particular grounds not to make an offer or refuse such a request. |
5. Casual conversion disputes |
The Bill introduces a dispute resolution procedure in relation to the casual conversion provisions that applies, unless a fair work instrument, employment contract or other written agreement includes a procedure for dealing with the dispute.
The parties must attempt to resolve the dispute at the workplace level first. If they do not resolve the dispute, it may be referred to the Fair Work Commission. |
The provisions will allow the Fair Work Commission to deal with small-claims style disputes about casual conversion, although it will be prevented from arbitrating such a dispute unless the parties agree. |
6. Casual Employment Information Statement |
The Bill introduces a requirement for employers to give new casual employees a Casual Employment Information Statement before or as soon as practicable after the employee starts employment.
The Statement is to be prepared by the Fair Work Ombudsman and must contain information about casual employment and offers and requests for casual conversion, including the following:
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Employers will need to update their on-boarding processes to ensure compliance with this requirement for new casual employees. |
Anthony Longland, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
anthony.longland@hsf.com
Endnotes