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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
The Cooperative Workplaces User Group was established 2016 to provide a forum for managers and union officials who are involved in Cooperative Workplaces files to share experiences with each other and provide feedback to the Commission about the Cooperative Workplaces program.
The group is chaired by the leader of the Cooperative Workplaces program and meets once or twice a year in workshop style at the invitation of the chair.