Fair Work Commission

The Fair Work Commission has established user groups to facilitate an exchange of views and provide a two-way communication forum between the Commission and key stakeholders.

Small Business Reference Group

In early 2019 the Commission established the Small Business Reference Group (SBRG). The SBRG is a forum for small businesses and their representatives to provide feedback on Commission initiatives and assist the Commission in continuing to improve its services.

The role of the SBRG is to:

• enable information sharing between small businesses and their representatives, and the Commission
• assist the Commission in its ongoing work to ensure the information it provides to the public is accessible, accurate and consistent, particularly for small business users
• assist the Commission to identify, develop and implement initiatives to improve its services, particularly for small businesses
• support the Commission in its engagement with small business users including identifying and facilitating opportunities for the Commission to engage with small businesses.

Membership of the SBRG is made up of peak bodies that represent small business, small business operator members of peak bodies and government bodies such as the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman.

The group meets three to four times per year in Melbourne.

Legal Profession Reference Group

The membership of the Legal Profession Reference Group consists of Justice Ross, President of the Commission, and national law firms who frequently appear in matters before the Commission.

Employment Termination User Group

The Employment Termination User Group was established to provide a forum for the exchange of views from key users regarding the case management practices established for dealing with unfair dismissal applications under Part 3-2 of the Fair Work Act 2009.

The group is led by the Head of the Termination of Employment Panel, and comprises representatives from national bodies whose affiliates or members represent applicants and/or respondents in unfair dismissal matters before the Commission. It is anticipated that the group will meet quarterly in Melbourne.

New Approaches User Group

The New Approaches User Group was established 2016 to provide a forum for managers and union officials who are involved in New Approaches files to share experiences with each other and provide feedback to the Commission about the New Approaches program.

The group is chaired by the leader of the New Approaches program and meets once or twice a year in workshop style at the invitation of the chair.