There have recently been significant changes to Australia’s workplace laws. These changes could impact on your rights, wages and conditions.
Read on to find out more about the changes and how they affect you.
Note: This is general information only, and for more specific advice you should speak to your union.
Over the last two years, there have been significant changes to our workplace laws. These changes are important, as they affect the pay and conditions that you are entitled to.
Below you’ll find a summary of these changes.
The legal definition of ‘casual employee’ that existed until very recently effectively let an employer call any employee a casual. It has been replaced with a new definition.
The new definition says that an employee is a casual only if:
Under the new definition, if you are working the same hours on the same days each week, there’s a good chance you might be casual in name only.
Find out more about casual employment here.
Workers who are employed via apps, doing work like delivering food or transporting people, are known as gig workers, and they’re now entitled to minimum standards.
Find out more about new rights for gig workers.
New laws give labour hire workers the right to be paid the same as direct employees, if they’re doing the same job.
Find out more about the new Same Job, Same Pay laws here.
If you’ve been asked by your employer to get an ABN and work as a contractor, you may be on a sham contract. New laws have been introduced to stop sham contracting and ensure workers are getting the rights and protections they’re entitled to.
Find out more about new rights for contract workers here.
Reach out to your union for more specific information about how you and your workmates can make the most of casual rights in your workplace, or enter your details below to receive updates on your rights at work.
This publication has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations through the Productivity, Education and Training Fund grant program.