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  • Job loss or dismissal
    • Types of dismissal and termination
    • Unfair dismissal
      • About unfair dismissal
        • What is unfair dismissal?
        • Who the law protects from unfair dismissal
        • Check eligibility for unfair dismissal
      • The rules for small business owners
      • The process for unfair dismissal claims
      • Apply for unfair dismissal (Form F2)
        • Check you are ready to apply for unfair dismissal
      • Respond to an unfair dismissal claim
        • What to do when an employee claims unfair dismissal
        • Respond to a claim for unfair dismissal (Form F3)
          • Help with Form F3 – Employer response to unfair dismissal
        • Object to an unfair dismissal claim
          • Object to an application for unfair dismissal remedy (Form F4)
          • Jurisdiction hearings in unfair dismissal cases
      • Conciliation for unfair dismissal
        • What is conciliation?
        • Tips to prepare for conciliation
        • What happens in a conciliation meeting
        • Options at conciliation for unfair dismissal
        • The role of the independent conciliator
        • Ask to delay a conciliation
      • Withdraw your application for unfair dismissal
      • Possible results of unfair dismissal claims
        • Compensation for unfair dismissal
          • The formula to calculate compensation
        • Reinstatement after unfair dismissal
        • Outcomes or remedies at an unfair dismissal hearing
    • Dismissal under general protections
      • About general protections
        • Understand general protections
        • Who the general protections laws cover
          • The difference between contractors and employees
        • Check eligibility for general protections
        • What is adverse action?
        • Prohibited reasons in general protections
        • Other workplace protections
      • The process for general protections dismissal
      • Apply for general protections – dismissal (Form F8)
      • Responding to a general protections claim
        • Response to general protections application (Form F8A)
        • Object to a general protections dismissal claim
      • Conferences for general protections dismissal
        • Tips to prepare for a general protections conference
      • Possible outcomes of a general protections – dismissal case
      • Apply for arbitration of a general protections – dismissal case (Form F8B)
      • Take your general protections case to court
    • Unlawful termination
      • Apply for help with unlawful termination (Form F9)
      • Respond to an application for unlawful termination (Form F9A)
      • Agree to arbitration for unlawful termination (Form F9B)
    • Redundancy
    • Respond to a claim against a business
  • Issues we help with
    • Common issues in the workplace
      • Resolve a dispute in your workplace
      • Apply for help to promote cooperative workplaces and prevent disputes (Form F79)
    • Bullying
      • The process to resolve workplace bullying
      • What is bullying at work?
        • About reasonable management action
      • What to do if you’re bullied at work
        • How we help stop workplace bullying
        • Who can apply to stop bullying
          • Check eligibility for an order to stop bullying
        • Apply to stop workplace bullying (Form F72)
      • Respond to a bullying claim
        • Respond as an employer or principal in a bullying application (Form F73)
        • Respond as a person named in a bullying application (Form F74)
      • Conciliation for bullying at work
        • Prepare for a conciliation session
    • Sexual harassment
      • What is sexual harassment at work
      • Who can apply for orders to stop sexual harassment at work
      • Discrimination, the general protections and work health and safety
      • What to do if you’re sexually harassed at work
      • The Commission’s process to resolve sexual harassment at work
      • Apply to stop sexual harassment at work
      • Respond to an application about sexual harassment at work
      • Conciliation about sexual harassment at work
      • Conferences and hearings about sexual harassment at work
    • Discrimination
    • Help for small business owners
      • What we are doing to help small business
    • Casual to permanent status
      • Apply to resolve a dispute about casual conversion (Form F10A)
    • Dispute about an award or agreement
      • Apply to resolve a dispute about an award or agreement (Form F10)
    • Disputes about general protections
      • Process for general protection disputes
      • Apply for general protections – no dismissal (Form F8C)
      • Responding to a general protections claim not involving dismissal
    • Industrial action
      • Organise a protected action ballot
        • Apply to hold a protected action ballot (Form F34)
        • Apply to extend the 30-day period for protected action (Form F34A)
      • Types of industrial action
      • Payments during industrial action
      • Ballot results
      • Apply to resolve a stand down dispute (Form F13)
      • Apply to stop unprotected industrial action (Form F14)
    • Cooperative Workplaces program
      • Interest-based approaches
      • Interest-based bargaining
      • Interest-based consultation
      • Interest-based problem-solving
    • Jobkeeper disputes
      • Apply to resolve a jobkeeper dispute (Form F13A)
  • Agreements & awards
    • Enterprise agreements
      • Find an enterprise agreement
        • Agreements in progress
      • About enterprise agreements
        • About single and multi-enterprise agreements
        • About greenfields agreements
        • Historical agreements and instruments
        • Statistical reports on enterprise agreements data
      • Make an enterprise agreement
        • The process to make an agreement
        • Before you start bargaining
          • Timeframes to make an agreement
          • Date calculator for single enterprise agreement
          • Plan to communicate your agreement
          • Bargaining representatives
            • Who can be a bargaining representative?
            • The role of representatives
            • Cancel a bargaining representative
          • Apply for a majority support determination (Form F30)
          • Request to bargain for a replacement agreement
        • Start bargaining
          • Scope orders for enterprise agreements
            • Apply for a scope order (Form F31)
          • Resolve a dispute about bargaining
            • Apply to resolve a bargaining dispute (Form F11)
            • Apply for a bargaining order (Form F32)
            • Apply for a serious breach declaration (Form F33)
          • How to bargain in good faith
          • NERR – Notice of Employee Representational Rights
            • Create the NERR
            • Distribute the NERR to employees
        • Develop the agreement
          • Finalise the draft enterprise agreement
          • Guide to the BOOT
            • How we apply the Better Off Overall Test
            • Check an agreement can pass the BOOT
          • Terms and dates to put in an agreement
          • When employees genuinely agree to an agreement
          • Avoid common errors in agreements
            • Meet the terms in the NES
            • Sign an agreement the right way
            • Make sure your NERR is valid
            • Make 'loaded' rates clear
            • Explain what you did in the access period
            • Ways to pass the BOOT
        • Hold a vote on the agreement
          • Explain the agreement to employees
          • What to give employees during the 'access period'
          • Voting process for agreements
          • Record how and when employees vote
        • Create a greenfields enterprise agreement
          • Apply to approve a greenfields agreement (Form F19)
      • Change a single enterprise agreement
        • Apply for approval to change an agreement (Form F23)
        • Employer's declaration to vary an agreement (Form F23A)
        • Union declaration for variation of an enterprise agreement (Form F23B)
        • Apply to vary an agreement to resolve a casual conversion issue (Form F23C)
        • Apply to terminate an agreement after the nominal expiry date (Form F24B)
      • Approval of enterprise agreements
        • The process to approve an agreement
        • Requirements an agreement must meet
        • About undertakings in agreements
          • How to write an undertaking
        • Approval timelines for agreements
        • Is your agreement application ready to lodge?
        • Forms for approval of agreements
          • Apply to approve a new enterprise agreement (Form F16)
          • Employer declaration for an enterprise agreement (Form F17)
          • Union declaration for an enterprise agreement (Form F18)
          • Employee rep declaration for an agreement (Form F18A)
          • Employer's declaration for a greenfields agreement under s.182(3) (Form F20)
          • Union declaration for a greenfields agreement (Form F21)
          • Apply to approve a new greenfields agreement made under s.182(4) (Form F21A)
          • Employer's declaration for a greenfields agreement under s.182(4) (Form F21B)
          • Union declaration for approval for a greenfields agreement under s.182(4) (Form F21C)
      • Terminate an enterprise agreement
        • Apply to terminate an enterprise agreement by agreement (Form F24)
        • Ways to terminate an individual agreement (IABTI)
        • Declaration to support the termination of an agreement (Form F24A)
        • Declaration to support the termination of an agreement after nominal expiry (Form F24C)
        • Declaration in response to application to terminate an agreement after the expiry date (Form F24D)
      • Sunsetting of zombie agreements
        • What to do if I have a zombie agreement
        • What will happen to my zombie agreement
        • Extending a zombie agreement
    • Awards
      • Find an award
      • Create or change an award
        • Applications to create or change an award
        • Apply to create, change or revoke an award (Form F46)
      • Modern awards pay database
        • Data dictionary
      • What awards contain
      • The difference between awards and agreements
      • Awards research
    • Minimum wages and conditions
      • The national minimum wage
        • National minimum wage orders
      • National Employment Standards
      • Where to find your pay and conditions
      • Superannuation
  • Hearings & decisions
    • Hearings schedule
      • Adelaide hearings
      • Brisbane hearings
      • Canberra hearings
      • Darwin hearings
      • Hobart hearings
      • Melbourne hearings
      • Perth hearings
      • Sydney hearings
      • Regional hearings
    • How the Commission works
      • What to do when we set your tribunal date
      • About conferences and hearings
      • Prepare for a conference or hearing
      • Possible outcomes of a hearing or conference
      • What happens during a hearing
        • Inside the hearing room
      • On the day of your conference or hearing
      • Recording a hearing or conference
      • Ask to delay a hearing or conference
    • Appeal a decision or order
      • The appeals process
        • Reasons you may appeal a decision or order
        • Who can appeal a decision?
        • How to appeal a decision
        • Order to ‘stay’ all or part of a decision
        • Create an appeal book
      • Prepare for an appeal hearing
        • Prepare an outline of submissions for an appeal
        • What happens in an appeal hearing
        • Who sits on an Appeal Bench?
      • Timetable of appeal hearings
      • Results of appeals
      • Apply for permission to appeal (Form F7)
    • Decisions and orders
      • National wage and safety net review decisions
      • Significant decisions and summaries
    • Major cases
      • 4 yearly review
        • All decisions and statements
        • Alleged NES inconsistencies
        • Awards under review
        • Common issues
          • Abandonment of employment
          • Annual leave
          • Annualised salaries
          • Apprentice conditions
          • Award flexibility
          • Blood donor leave
          • Casual employment
          • Family and domestic violence leave
          • Family friendly work arrangements
          • Micro business schedule
          • National Training Wage
          • Overtime for casuals
          • Part-time employment
          • Payment of wages
          • Penalty rates case
            • Decisions & statements
            • General Retail Industry Award
            • Hair and Beauty Industry Award
          • Public holidays
          • Transitional provisions
        • Final stage proceedings
        • Plain language re-drafting
          • Fast Food Industry Award
          • Hair and Beauty Industry Award
        • Timetable
      • Annual wage reviews
        • Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Research for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Timetable for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Additional material for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Correspondence for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Decisions & statements for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Determinations for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Draft determinations for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • National Minimum Wage Order 2022
          • Notices of listing for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Research for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Statistical reporting for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Timetable for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
          • Transcripts for the Annual Wage Review 2021–22
        • Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Additional material for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Consultations for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Correspondence for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Decisions & statements for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Determinations for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Draft determinations for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • National Minimum Wage Order 2021
          • Notices of listing for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Research for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Statistical reporting for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
            • Initial submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
            • Post-budget submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
            • Submissions in reply for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
            • Supplementary submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Timetable for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
          • Transcripts for the Annual Wage Review 2020–21
        • Annual Wage Review 2019–20
          • Additional material for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Consultations for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Correspondence for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Decisions & statements for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Determinations for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Junior & apprentice rates in modern awards for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • National Minimum Wage Order 2020
          • Notices of listing for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Research for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Research proposals for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Statistical reporting for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
            • Initial submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
            • Submissions in reply for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
            • Supplementary submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Timetable for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
          • Transcripts for the Annual Wage Review 2019-20
        • Annual Wage Review 2018–19
          • Additional material for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Consultations for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Correspondence for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Decisions & statements for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Determinations for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • National Minimum Wage Order 2019
          • Notices of listing for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Research for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Statistical reporting for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
            • Initial submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
            • Submissions in reply for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Timetable for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
          • Transcripts for the Annual Wage Review 2018-19
        • Annual wage reviews archive
          • Annual Wage Review 2012–13
      • Application to terminate the Apple Retail Enterprise Agreement 2014
      • Award flexibility – Hospitality and retail sectors
        • Application to vary the Hospitality Award
        • Application to vary the Restaurant Award
        • Application to vary the Retail Award
        • Background material
        • Correspondence
        • Decisions and statements
        • Notices of listing and directions
        • Research and data
        • Submissions
        • Transcript
      • Ballot for withdrawal of ME Division from CFMMEU
      • Ballot for withdrawal of Manufacturing Division from CFMMEU
      • Family and domestic violence leave review
        • Decisions & statements
      • Proposed On Demand Delivery Services Award (Menulog)
      • Review of certain C14 rates in modern awards
      • Superannuation fund reviews
      • Svitzer Australia Pty Limited industrial action
      • Work value case – Aged Care Industry
        • Correspondence
        • Decisions & statements
        • Notices of listing & directions
        • Research and information
        • Submissions
        • Transcript
      • Previous major cases
        • Application to terminate the IPCA (VIC, ACT & NT) Agreement 2011
        • Ballot for withdrawal of ME Division from CFMMEU
        • Casual terms award review 2021
          • Background material
          • Correspondence
          • Decisions & statements
          • Determinations
          • Notices of listing & directions
          • Submissions
          • Transcripts
          • All documents
        • Clerks – Private Sector Award – Work from home case
        • Equal Remuneration Case 2010-12
          • Applications
          • Correspondence
          • Decisions & statements
          • Draft orders
          • Exhibits
          • Notices of listing
          • Site Inspections
          • Submissions
          • Timetable
          • Transcripts
        • Equal Remuneration and Work Value Case
          • Applications
          • Correspondence
          • Decisions and statements
          • Legislation
          • Notices of listing and directions
          • Orders
          • Papers
          • Submissions
          • Timetable
          • Transcript
        • Health sector awards – pandemic leave case
          • Applications
          • Correspondence
          • Decisions and statements
          • Determinations
          • Information notes and articles
          • Notices of listing and directions
          • Orders
          • Submissions and witness statements
          • Transcript
        • Modern awards review 2012
          • Awards reviewed 2012
        • Undergraduate qualifications review
    • Case law benchbooks
      • Anti-bullying benchbook
        • Overview of benchbook
        • What is workplace bullying?
        • Who is covered?
          • Definition of ‘worker’
          • Definition of ‘constitutionally-covered business’
            • What is a person conducting a business or undertaking?
            • What is a Territory or a Commonwealth place?
            • What is a constitutional corporation?
            • What is the Commonwealth?
        • When is a worker bullied at work?
          • What does ‘at work’ mean?
          • Risk of continued bullying
          • What does ‘Reasonable management action’ mean?
        • Making an application
        • Responding to an application
        • What if the worker has been dismissed etc
        • Commission processes
          • Procedural issues
          • Representation by lawyers and paid agents
        • Evidence
        • What are the outcomes?
          • When can the Commission dismiss an application?
          • Contravening an order of the Commission
        • Associated applications
          • Costs
          • Appeals
          • Role of the Court
      • Enterprise agreements benchbook
        • Overview of benchbook
        • What is an enterprise agreement?
          • Single-enterprise agreement
          • Multi-enterprise agreement
          • Differences between single and multi-enterprise agreements
          • Greenfields agreement
        • Content of an enterprise agreement
          • Permitted matters
          • Coverage
          • Scope – who will be covered?
          • Terms & conditions of employment
          • Base rate of pay
          • Nominal expiry date
          • Mandatory terms
          • Flexibility term
          • Consultation term
          • Dispute settlement term
          • Optional terms
          • Terms that cannot be included
            • Terms that exclude the NES
            • Unlawful terms
            • Designated outworker terms
        • Agreement making process
          • Representation
          • Employees must be notified of their right to be represented
          • Bargaining representatives
        • Bargaining
          • Good faith bargaining
          • How long does bargaining take?
        • Voting
          • Voting process
          • Who can vote?
          • Timeframe for vote
          • Voting methods
          • When is an agreement made?
        • What happens if the parties cannot agree?
        • Making an application
          • Common defects & issues
            • National Employment Standards – common defects & issues
            • Better off overall test – common defects & issues
            • Mandatory terms – common defects & issues
            • Other terms of the agreement
            • Pre-approval requirements – common issues
            • Forms & lodgment – common defects & issues
          • Who must apply
          • Timeframe to apply – within 14 days
          • Material to accompany application
          • Signing an agreement
          • Employer must notify employees
        • Commission approval process
          • Genuine agreement
            • Minor procedural or technical errors
          • Where a scope order is in operation
          • Particular kinds of employees
          • Better off overall test (BOOT)
            • When an agreement passes
            • Classes of employees
            • Which award applies
            • Advice about coverage
            • Loaded rates of pay
          • Public interest test
          • Undertakings
          • Powers of the Commission
        • Associated applications
          • Majority support determinations
          • Authorisations to commence bargaining
            • Single interest employer authorisations
            • Ministerial declaration
            • Low-paid authorisations
          • Scope orders
          • Bargaining orders
          • Serious breach declarations
          • Disputes
          • Workplace determinations
            • Low-paid workplace determinations
            • Industrial action related workplace determinations
            • Bargaining related workplace determinations
          • Role of the Court
          • Appeals
          • Varying enterprise agreements
            • Varying by agreement
            • Ambiguity or uncertainty
            • Casual employee definition and casual conversion provisions
            • Discrimination
          • Terminating enterprise agreements
            • Terminating by agreement
            • After its nominal expiry date
          • Terminating individual agreements
      • General protections benchbook
        • Overview of benchbook
          • When is a person covered by the general protections?
        • What are the general protections?
        • How do the general protections work?
          • Rebuttable presumption as to reason or intent
        • Coverage for general protections
          • What is a constitutionally-covered entity?
          • What is a Territory or a Commonwealth place?
          • What is a trade and commerce employer?
          • What is a Territory employer?
          • What is a national system employer?
        • What if I am not covered by the general protections?
        • What is adverse action?
          • What is dismissal?
          • What is ‘injuring’ the employee in his or her employment?
          • What is altering the position of the employee to the employee’s prejudice?
          • What is discriminating between the employee and other employees of the employer?
          • Threatened action and organisation of action
          • Exclusions
        • Workplace rights – Division 3
          • Meaning of workplace right
          • Coercion
          • Undue influence or pressure
          • Misrepresentations
          • Requiring the use of COVIDSafe
        • Industrial activities – Division 4
          • What are industrial activities?
          • Coercion
          • Misrepresentations
          • Inducements – membership action
        • Other protections – Division 5
          • Discrimination
            • Race
            • Colour
            • Gender identity & sexual orientation
            • Age
            • Physical or mental disability
            • Marital status
            • Family or carer’s responsibilities
            • Pregnancy
            • Religion
            • Political opinion
            • National extraction
            • Social origin
          • Exceptions
          • Temporary absence – illness or injury
          • Bargaining services fees
          • Coverage by particular instruments
          • Coercion – allocation of duties to particular person
        • Sham arrangements – Division 6
          • Misrepresenting employment
          • Dismissing to engage as independent contractor
          • Misrepresentation to engage as independent contractor
        • Making an application
          • Dismissal applications
            • Timeframe for lodgment
            • Late lodgment
          • Non-dismissal applications
          • Other types of applications
            • Multiple actions relating to dismissal
            • Unfair dismissal
            • Unlawful termination
            • Court application (interim injunction)
            • Discrimination
        • Power to dismiss applications
        • Evidence
        • Commission process
          • Conferences & hearings
          • Dealing with different types of general protections disputes
          • Rescheduling or adjourning matters
          • Representation by lawyers and paid agents
          • Bias
        • Outcomes
        • Costs
          • When are costs ordered by the Commission?
          • Costs against representatives
        • Appeals
        • Role of the Court
          • Enforcement of Commission orders
          • Types of order made by the Court
      • Industrial action benchbook
        • What is industrial action?
          • Unprotected industrial action
            • Orders to stop or prevent unprotected industrial action
          • Protected industrial action
            • Immunity
            • Common requirements
            • Employee claim action
            • Employer response action
            • Employee response action
            • Pattern bargaining
        • Taking protected industrial action
          • Protected action ballots
            • Who may apply?
            • Making an application
            • Commission process
            • Varying a protected action ballot order
            • Revoking a protected action ballot order
          • Voting
            • Ballot agents
            • Who may vote – roll of voters
            • Ballot papers
            • Voting procedure
            • Scrutiny of the ballot
            • Results of the ballot
            • When is industrial action authorised?
          • Notice requirements
          • Commencing protected industrial action
        • Payments relating to industrial action
          • Partial work bans
          • Unprotected industrial action – payments
          • Standing down employees
        • Suspension or termination of protected industrial action
          • Powers of the Commission
            • When the Commission may suspend or terminate
            • When the Commission must suspend or terminate
              • Threats to persons or the economy
              • Suspending industrial action
            • Requirements relating to a period of suspension
          • Powers of the Minister
        • Enforcement
        • Appeals
      • Sexual harassment benchbook
        • Overview of benchbook
        • What is sexual harassment?
        • Who is covered by the laws to stop sexual harassment at work?
          • Definition of ‘Worker’
          • Definition of ‘constitutionally-covered business’
            • What is a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU)?
              • What is a Commonwealth authority?
              • What is a Territory or a Commonwealth place?
              • What is a body corporate incorporated in a Territory?
              • What is the Commonwealth?
        • When is a worker sexually harassed at work?
          • What does ‘at work’ mean?
          • Reasonable belief of bullying or sexual harassment at work
        • Risk of continued sexual harassment
          • Absence of future risk of sexual harassment
          • Change in circumstances
          • Other options for workers who are no longer working for the employer/principal
        • Making an application
          • Responding to an application
        • Commission process – Hearings and conferences
          • Powers of the Commission
          • Procedural issues
          • Representation by lawyers and paid agents
            • Notification of ‘acting for’ a person
            • What is representation?
            • When will permission be granted?
            • Exception – Conference by staff conciliator
            • Representation – Not in a conference or hearing
          • Bias
          • Rescheduling or adjourning matters
        • Evidence
          • Privilege against self-incrimination
        • What are the outcomes?
          • Conciliated outcomes
          • Orders to stop bullying or sexual harassment (or both) at work
          • Considerations
          • When can the Commission dismiss an application?
          • Contravening an order of the Commission
        • Associated applications
          • Costs
            • What are costs?
            • Applying for costs
            • When are costs ordered?
          • Appeals
          • Role of the Court
      • Unfair dismissals benchbook
        • Overview of unfair dismissal
        • Coverage for unfair dismissal
          • Who is protected from unfair dismissal?
          • People excluded from national unfair dismissal laws
            • Independent contractors
            • Labour hire workers
            • Vocational placements & volunteers
            • Public sector employment
          • Constitutional corporations
          • High income threshold
          • Modern award coverage
          • Application of an enterprise agreement
          • What is the minimum period of employment?
            • How do you calculate the minimum period of employment?
            • What is continuous service?
            • What is an excluded period?
          • Bankruptcy
          • Insolvency
        • What is dismissal?
          • When does a dismissal take effect?
          • Terminated at the employer's initiative
          • Forced resignation
          • Demotion
          • Contract for a specified period of time
          • Contract for a specified task
          • Contract for a specified season
          • Training arrangement
          • What is a transfer of employment?
          • Periods of service as a casual employee
          • What is a genuine redundancy?
            • Job no longer required due to changes in operational requirements
            • Consultation obligations
            • Redeployment
          • What is the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code?
        • What makes a dismissal unfair?
          • Valid reason relating to capacity or conduct
            • Capacity
            • Conduct
          • Notification of reason for dismissal
          • Opportunity to respond
          • Unreasonable refusal of a support person
          • Warnings – unsatisfactory performance
          • Size of employer's enterprise & human resources specialists
          • Other relevant matters
        • Making an application
          • Application fee
          • Timeframe for lodgment
          • Extension of time for lodging an application
          • Who is the employer?
          • Multiple actions
          • Discontinuing an application
        • Objecting to an application
        • Commission process – conciliations, hearings and conferences
          • Conciliation
          • Hearings and conferences
          • Preparing for hearings and conferences
          • Representation by lawyers and paid agents
          • Rescheduling or adjourning matters
          • Bias
        • Remedies
          • Reinstatement
            • Order for reinstatement cannot be subject to conditions
            • Order to maintain continuity
            • Order to restore lost pay
          • Compensation
            • Calculating compensation
            • Instalments
            • Mitigation
            • Remuneration
            • Any other matters that the Commission considers relevant
            • Compensation cap
        • Dismissing an application
        • Evidence
        • Costs
          • Costs against representatives
          • Security for costs
        • Appeals
          • Staying decisions
        • Role of the Court
      • JobKeeper disputes benchbook
        • Introduction
          • Overview of the Coronavirus Economic Response provisions in the Fair Work Act
        • JobKeeper enabling directions – general information
          • Service & entitlement accrual while a JobKeeper enabling direction applies
          • When a JobKeeper enabling direction will have no effect
          • Stand downs that are not jobkeeper enabling stand downs
          • Employee requests for secondary employment, training and professional development during a jobkeeper enabling stand down
        • JobKeeper enabling stand down directions – employers currently entitled to jobkeeper payments
          • Directions about duties & location of work
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Main navigation

Unfair dismissals benchbook

Constitutional corporations

On this page:

  • What is a constitutional corporation?
  • Foreign corporations
  • Case example
  • Trading or financial corporation formed within the limits of the Commonwealth
  • Case examples
  • Partnerships – Western Australia
  • Case examples
Content

What is a constitutional corporation?

The Fair Work Act 2009 defines constitutional corporations as 'a corporation to which paragraph 51(xx) of the Constitution applies.'[1]

The Australian Constitution defines constitutional corporations as 'Foreign corporations, and trading or financial corporations formed within the limits of the Commonwealth'.[2]

This definition has two limbs that are 'comprehensive alternatives'.[3] This means that constitutional corporations are either 'foreign corporations' or 'trading or financial corporations formed within the limits of the Commonwealth'. Therefore, a foreign corporation does not need to be formed within the limits of the Commonwealth or be a trading or financial corporation to be classified as a constitutional corporation.[4]

Many incorporated employers in the private sector who sell goods or provide services for a fee will easily satisfy the criteria of a trading or financial corporation.[5]

The issue of whether an employer is a constitutional corporation usually arises where the employer is a not-for-profit organisation in industries such as health, education, local government and community services.[6]

Foreign corporations

A foreign corporation is a corporation that has been formed outside of Australia.[7]

A corporation which is formed outside of Australia, which employs an employee to work in its business in Australia, is likely to be a national system employer and therefore fall within the jurisdiction of the Fair Work Commission.[8]

Geographical application of the Fair Work Act

Australia may include the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of the Cocos (Keeling) Island.[9]

There may be instances where people employed on ships or fixed platforms (both within and outside of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental shelf) will be deemed to be performing work within Australia.[10]

Case example

Foreign corporation

Employer company was formed in New Zealand but employee performed work in Australia

Gardner v Milka-Ware International Ltd [2010] FWA 1589 (Gooley C, 25 February 2010).

The applicant alleged the termination of his employment was harsh, unjust or unreasonable. The respondent raised a jurisdictional objection as it was:

  • a New Zealand registered, directed and owned company
  • traded in New Zealand only
  • employed the applicant in New Zealand, and
  • paid the applicant in New Zealand dollars into a New Zealand bank account.

The applicant however worked in both New Zealand and Australia.

The Commission determined that the respondent was incorporated in New Zealand meaning that it was a foreign corporation within the meaning of s.51(xx) of the Australian Constitution and therefore, to the extent that it employed employees to perform work in Australia, it was a national system employer. The Commission had jurisdiction to deal with the application.

Throughout his employment with the respondent, the applicant performed work in Australia at the respondent’s direction, and at the date of his termination, all of his work was performed in Australia.

Trading or financial corporation formed within the limits of the Commonwealth

Trading denotes the activity of, providing for reward, goods or services.[11]

The Commission will consider the nature of a corporation with reference to its activities, rather than the purpose for which it was formed.[12]

It does not matter if trading activities are a corporation's 'dominant' activity or whether they are merely an 'incidental' activity, or entered into in the course of pursuing other activities.[13]

A corporation will be a trading corporation if the trading engaged in is 'a sufficiently significant proportion of its overall activities'.[14]

A corporation can be a trading corporation even if it was not originally formed to trade.[15]

One factor that may be considered is the commercial nature of the activity.[16] When considering the commercial nature of a corporation's activity, the Commission will look at a number of factors, including:

  • whether it is involved in a commercial enterprise; that is, business activities carried on with a view to earning revenue
  • what proportion of its income the corporation earns from its commercial enterprises
  • whether the commercial enterprises are substantial or peripheral,
  • whether the activities of the corporation advance the trading interests of its members.[17]

A financial corporation is one 'which borrows and lends or otherwise deals in finance as its principal or characteristic activity...'[18]

The approach taken in deciding whether the activities of a corporation are such that the corporation should be considered to be a financial corporation is the same as the approach taken in deciding whether a corporation is a trading corporation.[19]

Case examples

Trading corporation

Professional sporting organisation and club

R v Federal Court of Australia; Ex parte WA National Football League [1979] HCA 6 (27 February 1979), [(1979) 143 CLR 190].

The High Court, by majority, held that a football club and the league to which it belonged in Western Australia were trading corporations. Their central activity was the organisation and presentation of football matches in which players were paid to play and spectators charged for admission, and television, advertising and other rights were sold in connection with such matches. This constituted trading activity.

Charitable organisation

Orion Pet Products Pty Ltd v Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Vic) [2002] FCA 860 (5 July 2002), [(2002) 120 FCR 191]).

The RSPCA, a charitable organisation, was found to be a trading corporation on the basis that it earned substantial income from trading activities. It did not matter that this income was used for charitable purposes rather to create a profit.

Not-for-profit organisation and hospital

Re E v Australian Red Cross Society; Australian Red Cross Society New South Wales Division and Central Sydney Area Health Service [1991] FCA 20 (8 February 1991), [(1991) 27 FCR 310].

The Australian Red Cross Society and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital were held to be trading corporations, on the basis that they both generated substantial income from trading activities, even though that income was only a minority proportion of total income. The motive for which that trading income was earned was not relevant.

Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board

United Firefighters' Union of Australia & Ors v Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board [1998] FCA 551 (20 May 1998), [(1998) 83 FCR 346].

The Court found that the trading activities of the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (the Board) generate substantial income and are sufficient to constitute the Board as a trading corporation. The principal activity of the Board, established as a statutory corporation, was to respond to fire and other emergencies, an activity which it undertook without charge to the public. The Board's Fire Equipment Services activities, which involved the commercial servicing of fire equipment for commerce, industry and the domestic market generated 5.11% of the Board's revenue.

Not for profit organisation

Ms Pasalskyj [2015] FWC 7309 (Hampton C, 13 November 2015).

A provider of rehabilitation services to offenders and former prisoners was held to be a trading corporation.

The Commission found that the provider’s funding contracts, individual contracts for some activities and its youth housing renovation program, should be treated as trading activities because they generated about $1.2 million a year for the organisation, 11% of its annual activities.

It was also held that activities associated with the direct provision of accommodation services were trading activities. The combined level of trading activities (in excess of 15% of income) was held to be not insubstantial.

Financial corporation

Building Society

Re Ku-Ring-Gai Co-operative Building Society (No 12) Ltd [1978] FCA 50 (18 December 1978), [(1978) 36 FLR 134].

Two co-operative incorporated building societies, were to be financial corporations, on the basis that they lent money at interest and were therefore engaged in commercial dealing in finance. The fact that his activity was not for profit and involved the performance of an important social function was not determinative..

Trustee of Superannuation fund

State Superannuation Board v Trade Practices Commission (1982) HCA 72 (14 December 1982), [(1982) 150 CLR 282].

A statutory corporation formed to provide superannuation benefits for state public servants was determined to be a financial corporation, on the basis that it engaged in financial activities on a very substantial scale. The fact that this activity was engaged in for the purpose of providing superannuation benefits to contributors was no obstacle to the conclusion that it was a financial corporation.

NOT a trading or financial corporation

District or amateur sporting organisation

Re Kimberley John Hughes v Western Australian Cricket Association (Inc) and Ors [1986] FCA 357 (27 October 1986), [(1986) 19 FCR 10].

Incorporated cricket clubs were found not to be trading corporations (although the Western Australian Cricket Association with which they were associated was found to be a trading corporation). The clubs were basically amateur bodies which did not charge for admission to matches and generally did not pay players. Although they engaged in some trading activities, this was not of sufficient significance to allow them to be characterised as trading corporations.

Charitable organisation

Hardeman v Children’s Medical Research Institute [2007] NSWIRComm 189 (24 September 2007), [(2007) 166 IR 196].

The respondent was found not to be a trading corporation. The trading activities it did engage in were insubstantial and peripheral to the central activity of medical research.

State Government

Re A.B. [2014] FWC 6723 (Hampton C, 30 September 2014).

The Department of Education in New South Wales and/or State of New South Wales were found not to be corporations within the meaning of the Constitution.

Note: The above case was an application under the anti-bullying provisions of the Fair Work Act

Partnerships – Western Australia

In Western Australia, a company which is not a constitutional corporation is generally not a national system employer and therefore not covered by the national unfair dismissal laws.

However, if one of the partners of a partnership is a trading corporation (such as a Pty Ltd company), the partnership can be a national system employer.[20]

What is a partnership?

A partnership is the relationship that exists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view to profit.[21]

A partnership is not a separate entity from its constituent parts. Each partner is jointly and severally liable for the partnership's obligations.[22]

Meaning of person

A person can be defined as a separate legal entity, recognised by the law as having rights and obligations.

There are two categories of person:

  • a natural person (a human being), and
  • an artificial person (an entity to which the law attributes personality – such as a body corporate).[23]

Case examples

Partnership a trading or financial corporation

Partnership including Pty Ltd company

McInnes v North Perth Vet Centre [2015] FWC 2720 (Gooley DP, 21 April 2015).

The respondent, P.B. Hodgen, Medivet Trust and the Murray Family Trust were a partnership which carried on a business. Medivet (WA) Pty Ltd as trustee of the Medivet Trust, was also a partner in the partnership. As one of the partners was a trading corporation, the Commission found that the employer was a national system employer.

Partnership NOT a trading or financial corporation

Partnership including Pty Ltd company

Williams v Goldendays Pty Ltd & D Kolichev & L Kolichev T/A Stirling Aluminium and Glass [2015] FWC 4200 (Bissett C, 24 June 2015).

The respondent was a partnership made up of two individuals and a Pty Ltd company. If the Pty Ltd company was a trading corporation then the partnership would take on the characteristic of a trading corporation and therefore be a national system employer.

The respondent submitted that the Pty Ltd company:

  • did not have an ABN
  • was not registered for GST
  • did not have a bank account
  • had not been involved in any form of trade, and
  • had no income except that received as a partner pursuant to the partnership distribution arrangement.

The Commission found there was nothing in the tax returns to indicate that the Pty Ltd company was engaged in any buying or selling of goods or services or that it generated any revenue. The Commission was satisfied that the Pty Ltd company was not a trading corporation.

References

Content

[1] Fair Work Act s.12.

[2] Australian Constitution s.51(xx).

[3] New South Wales v Commonwealth 1990 HCA 2 (8 February 1990), [(1990) 169 CLR 482, at p. 504 (Deane J)].

[4] ibid.

[5] A Stewart, Stewart’s Guide to Employment Law (4th ed, 2013) at p. 36.

[6] ibid., at p. 34.

[7] New South Wales v Commonwealth 1990 HCA 2 (8 February 1990), [(1990) 169 CLR 482, at p. 504 (Deane J)].

[8] See also Gardner v Milka-Ware International Ltd [2010] FWA 1589 (Gooley C, 25 February 2010) at para. 24.

[9] Fair Work Act s.31.

[10] Fair Work Act ss.33‒35.

[11] Re Ku-Ring-Gai Co-operative Building Society (No 12) Ltd [1978] FCA 50 (18 December 1978), [(1978) 36 FLR 134, at p. 139].

[12] R v Federal Court of Australia; Ex parte WA National Football League [1979] HCA 6 (27 February 1979), [(1979) 143 CLR 190, at p. 208 (Mason J)].

[13] ibid., [(1979) 143 CLR 190, at p. 239].

[14] ibid., [(1979) 143 CLR 190, at p. 233].

[15] Garvey v Institute of General Practice Education Incorporated [2007] NSWIRComm 159 (28 June 2007) at para. 30, [(2007) 165 IR 62].

[16] University of Western Australia v National Tertiary Education Industry Union, Print P1962 (AIRC, O’Connor C, 20 June 1997) at p. 3; citing R v Federal Court of Australia; Ex parte WA National Football League [1979] HCA 6 (27 February 1979), [(1979) 143 CLR 190, at p. 209].

[17] University of Western Australia v National Tertiary Education Industry Union, Print P1962 (AIRC, O’Connor C, 20 June 1997) at p. 3; citing Re Australian Beauty Trade Suppliers Limited v Conference and Exhibition Organisers Pty Limited [1991] FCA 154 (18 April 1991) at para. 11, [(1991) 29 FCR 68, at p. 72].

[18] Re Ku-Ring-Gai Co-operative Building Society (No 12) Ltd [1978] FCA 50 (18 December 1978), [(1978) 36 FLR 134, at p. 138].

[19] State Superannuation Board v Trade Practices Commission (1982) HCA 72 (14 December 1982) at para. 19 (Mason, Murphy and Deane JJ), [(1982) 150 CLR 282, at p. 303].

[20] McInnes v North Perth Vet Centre [2015] FWC 2720 (Gooley DP, 21 April 2015) at para. 16.

[21] Butterworths Australian Legal Dictionary, 1997, at p. 851.

[22] McInnes v North Perth Vet Centre [2015] FWC 2720 (Gooley DP, 21 April 2015) at para. 13.

[23] Butterworths Australian Legal Dictionary, 1997, at p. 870.

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Published by the Fair Work Commission (www.fwc.gov.au)
Last updated: 14 Feb 2022
Location on last update: https://www.fwc.gov.au/constitutional-corporations