The Secure Jobs and Better Pay Act (Cth) 2022 received Royal Assent on 6 December 2022.
The Act amends workplace laws relating to:
• job security and gender equality
• workplace conditions and protections
• bargaining
• compliance and enforcement and
• workplace relations institutions.
Job Security and Gender Equality
The Act amends the laws relating to job security and gender equality. Go to Secure Jobs Better Pay for Fact Sheets dealing with:
• establishing two new expert panels in the Fair Work Commission
• including gender equality and job security in the objects of the Fair Work Act
• limiting the use of fixed term contracts
• prohibiting pay secrecy clauses
• reforming the equal remuneration provisions
• right to request flexible work arrangements
• unpaid parental leave.
Workplace Conditions and Protections
The Act amends the laws relating to workplace conditions and protections. Go to Secure Jobs Better Pay for Fact Sheets dealing with:
• improving workers compensation outcomes for firefighters
• prohibiting sexual harassment in the Fair Work Act
• strengthening protections against discrimination.
Bargaining
The Act amends the laws relating to bargaining. This will be dealt with in a subsequent article. In the meantime, go to Secure Jobs Better Pay for Fact Sheets dealing with:
• Bargaining Disputes
• Better Off Overall Test
• Cooperative Workplaces Bargaining Stream
• Initiating Bargaining – Single Enterprise Agreements
• National Construction Industry Forum.
Compliance and Enforcement
The Act amends the laws relating to compliance and enforcement. Go to Secure Jobs Better Pay for Fact Sheets dealing with:
• Amending the Fair Work Act small claims process
• Prohibiting Job advertisements that would breach the Fair Work Act.
Workplace Relations Institutions
The Act amends the laws relating to workplace relations institutions. Go to Secure Jobs Better Pay for Fact Sheets dealing with:
• Abolishing the Australian Building and Construction Commission
• Abolishing the registered organisations Commission