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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
      • Sexual harassment that occurred or started before 6 March 2023
        • 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
        • Apply to stop sexual harassment at work
        • Respond to an application about sexual harassment at work
        • The Commission’s process to resolve sexual harassment at work
        • Conciliation about sexual harassment at work
        • Conferences and hearings about sexual harassment at work
      • Sexual harassment commencing from 6 March 2023
        • The prohibition on workplace sexual harassment
        • What is sexual harassment in connection with work?
        • Who can apply to us to deal with a sexual harassment dispute
        • Sexual harassment and discrimination, the general protections and work health and safety
        • What to do if you’re sexually harassed in connection with work
        • The process for sexual harassment dispute claims
        • How to apply to us to deal with a sexual harassment dispute
        • Apply to resolve a sexual harassment dispute (Form F75)
        • How to respond to a sexual harassment dispute application
        • Respond as an individual to an application to deal with a sexual harassment dispute (Form F76)
        • Respond as an employer or principal to an application to deal with a sexual harassment dispute (Form F77)
        • Member conferences and determinative hearings is sexual harassment disputes
          • Member conferences in sexual harassment disputes
          • Determinative conferences and hearings in sexual harassment disputes
          • Keeping the sexual harassment dispute case confidential
        • Sexual harassment disputes that are not resolved
    • 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
        • Types of zombie agreements
        • Our list of possible zombie agreements
        • What to do if you have a zombie agreement
        • Extending a zombie agreement
        • Apply to extend a zombie agreement (Form F81)
    • 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
        • Modern Awards Pay Database API
      • 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
    • Gender pay equity
      • Gender pay equity in the Fair Work Act
      • Equal remuneration orders
      • Apply for an equal remuneration order (Form F46A)
  • 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
          • Additional material for the Annual Wage Review 2022-23
          • Correspondence for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Decisions & statements for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Notices of listing for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Research for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Statistical reporting for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Timetable for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
          • Transcripts 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
      • 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
      • 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
        • Ballot for withdrawal of Manufacturing 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
        • Svitzer Australia Pty Limited industrial action
        • 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
        • Jobkeeper enabling directions – employers previously entitled to jobkeeper payments
          • Jobkeeper enabling stand down directions – employer previously entitled to jobkeeper payment for employee
          • Directions about duties & location of work – employer previously entitled to jobkeeper payment for employee
          • Termination of a jobkeeper enabling direction made by a legacy employer
        • Agreements about days or times of work
          • Agreements about days or times of work – employers currently entitled to jobkeeper payments
          • Agreements about days or times of work – employers previously entitled to jobkeeper payment for employee
          • Termination of an agreement about days or times of work
        • Employer payment obligations
          • Wage condition
          • Minimum payment guarantee
          • Hourly rate of pay guarantee
        • Agreements about annual leave
        • Protections
        • Jobkeeper disputes the Commission cannot assist with
        • Applications to deal with a dispute about the operation of Part 6-4C
          • Who can make an application
          • Responding to an application
          • Objecting to an application
          • Discontinuing an application
        • Commission process
          • General information
          • Conferences & hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic
          • Procedural issues
        • Evidence
        • Outcomes of Commission dispute resolution under Part 6-4C
          • Contravening an order of the Commission
          • Appeals
          • Role of the Court
        • Attachments
        • Attachment 5 – Jobkeeper provisions that continue to apply on or after 29 March 2021
      • References in the benchbooks
      • Vaccination related matters
    • Practice notes
      • Appeal proceedings
      • Discontinuing matters
      • Fair hearings
      • Lawyers & paid agents
      • Orders to attend & orders to produce
      • Requests to appear remotely
      • Unfair dismissal proceedings
    • Transcripts and recordings
      • Recent transcripts
      • Ceremonial sittings transcripts
  • Registered organisations
    • Changes to our role with registered organisations
    • Entry permits
      • Find an entry permit
      • When an official can enter a workplace
      • Training that permit holders must complete
      • When to return an entry permit
      • About Fair Work entry permits
        • Who can hold a Fair Work Entry permit
        • How to apply for a Fair Work entry permit
          • Entry permit – photo and signature declaration (Form F42C)
        • Apply for a Fair Work entry permit (Form F42)
        • How we process Fair Work entry permit applications
        • Rules for a Fair Work entry notice
        • Rights and obligations of Fair Work entry permit holders
        • Apply for an affected member certificate (Form F45)
        • Apply to be exempt from providing an entry notice (Form F44)
      • About Work Health and Safety entry permits
        • Apply for a WHS entry permit (Form F42A)
        • Statutory declaration to support an application for a WHS entry permit (Form F42B)
        • Rules for a WHS entry notice
        • Rights and obligations of WHS permit holders
      • Disputes about entry to workplaces
        • Apply to resolve a right of entry dispute (Form F12)
    • Notices in the Gazette
    • Find a registered organisation
      • Find a recognised state-registered association
    • What is a registered organisation
      • Object to joining an employee or employer association (Form F69)
      • Services for employer associations, unions and enterprise unions
      • Rules for unions and employer associations
      • Change the rules of a union or employer association
        • Apply to change the name of a registered organisation (Form F67)
        • Apply to change the eligibility rules of a employer association or union (Form F68)
        • Application for leave to change name and to alter rules (Form F59)
        • Apply to change eligibility rules of a federal counterpart (Form F68A)
        • Apply to change 'other' rules of a registered organisation
      • Renew an objection to joining an employee or employer association (Form F70)
    • Become a registered union or employer association
      • Apply to register a union (Form F56)
      • Apply to register an employer association (Form F55)
      • Apply to register an enterprise union (Form F57)
      • Apply for recognition as an RSRA
      • Object to the registration of an association (Form F58)
    • Merge registered organisations
      • Ballot paper for proposed amalgamation (Form F64)
      • Ballot paper chosen by organisation for proposed amalgamation (Form F63)
      • Ballot paper chosen by organisation with alternative to proposed amalgamation (Form F65)
      • Ballot paper with alternative to proposed amalgamation (Form F66)
    • Cancelling an organisation's registration
      • Apply to cancel an organisation's registration (Form F62)
      • Application by an organisation to cancel an organisation's registration (Form F60)
      • Object to the cancellation of an organisation's registration (Form F61)
  • Apply or lodge
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      • Where to find legal help
        • Tips to choose a lawyer or paid agent
        • Glossary of legal terms
        • How the Commission can and can’t help
      • Legal advice from the Workplace Advice Service
        • Request form for WAS
        • Workplace Advice Service terms & conditions
      • If you decide to represent yourself
      • Representatives and the rules they must follow
        • Notify us that you have a representative, or that they plan to act for you (Form F53)
        • Notice that a representative has stopped acting for a person (Form F54)
        • How we decide if a lawyer or paid agent can take part
      • Support for your health and wellbeing
    • Fees and costs
      • Ask to waive an application fee (Form F80)
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Hearings & decisions

  • Hearings schedule
    • Adelaide hearings
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  • 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
        • Additional material for the Annual Wage Review 2022-23
        • Correspondence for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Decisions & statements for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Notices of listing for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Research for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Statistical reporting for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Submissions for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Timetable for the Annual Wage Review 2022–23
        • Transcripts 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
    • 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
    • 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
      • Ballot for withdrawal of Manufacturing 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
      • Svitzer Australia Pty Limited industrial action
      • 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
          • 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)?
      • 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
      • Jobkeeper enabling directions – employers previously entitled to jobkeeper payments
        • Jobkeeper enabling stand down directions – employer previously entitled to jobkeeper payment for employee
        • Directions about duties & location of work – employer previously entitled to jobkeeper payment for employee
        • Termination of a jobkeeper enabling direction made by a legacy employer
      • Agreements about days or times of work
        • Agreements about days or times of work – employers currently entitled to jobkeeper payments
        • Agreements about days or times of work – employers previously entitled to jobkeeper payment for employee
        • Termination of an agreement about days or times of work
      • Employer payment obligations
        • Wage condition
        • Minimum payment guarantee
        • Hourly rate of pay guarantee
      • Agreements about annual leave
      • Protections
      • Jobkeeper disputes the Commission cannot assist with
      • Applications to deal with a dispute about the operation of Part 6-4C
        • Who can make an application
        • Responding to an application
        • Objecting to an application
        • Discontinuing an application
      • Commission process
        • General information
        • Conferences & hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic
        • Procedural issues
      • Evidence
      • Outcomes of Commission dispute resolution under Part 6-4C
        • Contravening an order of the Commission
        • Appeals
        • Role of the Court
      • Attachments
      • Attachment 5 – Jobkeeper provisions that continue to apply on or after 29 March 2021
    • References in the benchbooks
    • Vaccination related matters
  • Practice notes
    • Appeal proceedings
    • Discontinuing matters
    • Fair hearings
    • Lawyers & paid agents
    • Orders to attend & orders to produce
    • Requests to appear remotely
    • Unfair dismissal proceedings
  • Transcripts and recordings
    • Recent transcripts
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Unfair dismissals benchbook

Extension of time for lodging an application

On this page:

  • Introduction
  • What are exceptional circumstances?
  • Reason for delay
  • Case examples
  • Action taken to dispute the dismissal
  • Case examples
  • Prejudice to the employer
  • Case examples
  • Merits of the application
  • Case examples
  • Fairness as between the person and other persons in a similar position
Content

Introduction

See Fair Work Act 2009 s.394(2)–(3)

Contains issues that may form the basis of a jurisdictional issue

The Fair Work Commission may extend the time period for lodging an unfair dismissal application only if the Commission is satisfied that there were exceptional circumstances for not lodging the application on time.

The Commission will take into account:

  • the reasons for the delay
  • whether the former employee first became aware of the dismissal after it had taken effect
  • any action taken by the former employee to dispute the dismissal
  • prejudice to the employer (including prejudice caused by the delay)
  • the merits of the application, and
  • fairness between the former employee and other persons in similar positions.

What are exceptional circumstances?

These are circumstances that are:

  • out of the ordinary course
  • unusual
  • special, or
  • uncommon.[1]

They need not be:

  • unique
  • unprecedented, or
  • very rare.[2]

Exceptional circumstances are NOT regularly, routinely or normally encountered.[3]

Exceptional circumstances may be a single exceptional event or a series of events that together are exceptional.[4] The assessment of whether exceptional circumstances exist requires a consideration of ALL the relevant circumstances.[5]

Ignorance of the timeframe for lodgment is not an exceptional circumstance.[6]

Reason for delay

The Commission must consider the reason for the delay.[7]

The absence of any explanation for any part of the delay, will usually weigh against an applicant in such an assessment. Similarly a credible explanation for the entirety of the delay, will usually weigh in the applicant’s favour, though, it is a question of degree and insight. However, the ultimate conclusion as to the existence of exceptional circumstances will turn on a consideration of all of the relevant matters (including the reason for delay) and the assignment of appropriate weight to each.[8]

Representative error

A late lodgment of an application due to representative error may be grounds for an extension of time.[9]

There is a distinction between a delay caused by the representative where the employee is blameless and when the employee has contributed to the delay.[10]

The actions of the employee are the central consideration in deciding whether the explanation of representative error is acceptable.[11]

Where an application is delayed because the employee has left the matter in the hands of their representative and has not followed up their claim, the extension may be refused.[12]

Where an employee has given clear instructions to lodge an application and the representative has failed to do so, the extension may be granted.[13]

A representative error is only one of a number of factors to be considered in deciding whether to extend the timeframe for lodgment.[14]

A representative error includes inactivity or failure to act promptly.[15]

Related information

  • When does a dismissal take effect?

Case examples

Exceptional circumstances – extension granted

Resignation with future date of effect

Nohra v Target Australia Pty Ltd [2010] FWA 6857 (Roberts C, 22 October 2010), [(2010) 204 IR 389].

Length of time outside timeframe: 15 days

The employee resigned with a future date of effect, to take leave. The letter of resignation effectively gave 7 months’ notice to be the primary carer for her sick mother-in-law. The employer ended the employment while the employee was on carer's leave. The employee believed that the timeframe for lodgment was only relevant to unfair dismissal and not relevant for constructive dismissal.

The extension of time was granted.

Representative error

Robinson v Interstate Transport Pty Ltd (2011) 211 IR 347.

Length of time outside timeframe: 3 days

The employee's initial representative overlooked a reminder to file the application for a general protections claim. The employee had given specific instructions to his representative to file the claim. On appeal it was found that he was entitled to rely on his representative and was blameless in relation to the delay.

The extension of time was granted.

Note: This was in relation to a general protections claim under s.365 of the Fair Work Act. The extension of time provisions in relation to a general protections claim has identical wording to the extension of time provisions in relation to an unfair dismissal claim.

Illness

Ovenden v Fortezza Pty Ltd T/A High Country Automotive Group [2010] FWA 3863 (Deegan C, 20 May 2010).

Length of time outside timeframe: 26 days

The employee gave evidence that he was suffering from depression and anxiety exacerbated by work stress. The employee had been dismissed while he was on personal leave and was covered by a medical certificate. The employer had refused to accept the medical certificates and had claimed the employee had abandoned his employment.

The extension of time was granted.

Technical issues

Johnson v Joy Manufacturing Co Pty Ltd t/as Joy Mining Machinery [2010] FWA 1394 (Lawler VP, 25 February 2010).

Length of time outside timeframe: 4 days

The employee had attempted twice to lodge the application through the Fair Work website within time but was unable to successfully file the application. The application was then posted to Fair Work Australia. It was held that the applicant had made a bona fide attempt to make an application before the expiry of the 14 day period and that it was just and equitable to exercise the discretion to extend time.

The extension of time was granted.

NOT exceptional circumstances – no extension granted

Christmas period

Smith v KJM Contractors Pty Ltd (2010) 201 IR 356.

Length of time outside timeframe: 8 days

An employee made his application for unfair dismissal 8 days after the 14 day period. Christmas occurred during the 14 day timeframe.

The Commission found that this was not exceptional as the Christmas period was not an unforeseen event.

The extension of time was refused.

Representative error

McLennan v Northern Territory Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation [2012] FWA 3167 (Spencer C, 12 April 2012).

Length of time outside timeframe: 1 day

The employee submitted that she thought her representative would file an application for unfair dismissal on her behalf.

It was found that there had been no evidence that the employee gave clear instructions to her representative to lodge an application on her behalf.

The extension of time was refused.

Employee seeking internal review

Gao v Department of Human Services [2011] FWAFB 5605 (Giudice J, Harrison SDP, Asbury C, 23 August 2011).

Length of time outside timeframe: Approx. 7 months

The employee sought a review of matters relevant to the decision to dismiss through an internal process of the employer. The employer provided a response and then the employee requested a further review.

It was found that the circumstances were not sufficient to justify the delay.

The extension of time was refused.

Shock and trauma caused by termination – ignorance of the timeframe

Rose v BMD Constructions Pty Ltd [2011] FWA 673 (Roe C, 1 February 2011).

Length of time outside timeframe: 13 days

The employee filed an application for unfair dismissal 13 days late claiming her reason for not lodging on time was that she was incapacitated by shock from her termination.

The Commission found that the employee was not sufficiently incapacitated by the shock to justify an extension of time.

Ignorance of the timeframe in itself is not sufficient to justify an extension of time.

The extension of time was refused.

Illness

Muir McMeeken v Action Industrial Catering Pty Ltd [2012] FWAFB 5933 (Boulton J, Hamilton DP, Cloghan C, 12 September 2012).

Decision at first instance [2012] FWA 4035 (Williams C, 15 May 2012).

Length of time outside timeframe: Approx. 5 weeks

The employee gave evidence that she was ill during the timeframe for lodgment. The employee followed up complaints with other agencies during the 14 day timeframe. She was hospitalised after the 14 day timeframe had passed.

It was found that ill health may have prevented the employee from making an application for 2 weeks out of the 5 weeks that the application was late.

The extension of time was refused.

Action taken to dispute the dismissal

Action taken by the employee to contest the dismissal, other than lodging an unfair dismissal application, may favour granting an extension of time.[16]

Case examples

Action taken to dispute the dismissal – extension granted

Lodged in the wrong jurisdiction

Palmer v RCR Engineering Pty Ltd [2009] FWA 1431 (McCarthy DP, 2 December 2009).

Length of time outside timeframe: 25 days

The employee initially lodged his application within the time frame however in the wrong jurisdiction. The employee lodged their application within 3 days of becoming aware of the jurisdictional issue.

The Commission found in this case it was clear that the employee took action to contest his termination of employment almost immediately but in the wrong jurisdiction. Had the application been lodged in the correct jurisdiction it would have been well within the time allowed by the Fair Work Act 2009.

The extension of time was granted.

Lodged in the wrong jurisdiction

Poulton v Rail Infrastructure Corporation, PR966972 (AIRCFB, Watson SDP, Hamberger C, Richards C, 22 December 2005).

Length of time outside timeframe: Approx. 21 months

The employee sought but was unable to get advice as to which was the correct jurisdiction to apply to. There was uncertainty about where he should lodge his application and the lodgment in the incorrect jurisdiction was not unreasonable.

The extension of time was granted.

Action NOT taken to dispute the dismissal – no extension granted

Employee seeking to resolve matter internally

Prasad v Alcatel-Lucent Australia Ltd (2011) 209 IR 236.

Length of time outside timeframe: Approx. 4 months

The employee was working under a subclass 457 visa and was made redundant after a restructure. The employee obtained legal advice about unfair dismissal some months after the redundancy.

The extension of time was refused.

Lodged in the wrong jurisdiction

Robertson v Zeugma Electrical and Communications Services Pty Ltd [2010] FWA 4525 (McCarthy DP, 17 June 2010).

Length of time outside timeframe: Approx. 6 weeks

The employee lodged an application for unfair dismissal with the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission and submitted she did not know this was the wrong jurisdiction.

The Commission found that mere inadvertence or accident is not sufficient alone to warrant an exceptional circumstance for the extension of time.

The extension of time was refused.

Lodged in wrong jurisdiction

Parkes v Melena Pty Ltd t/as Ekas Market Research Services, PR943310 (AIRCFB, Giudice J, Duncan SDP, Larkin C, 5 February 2004).

Length of time outside timeframe: Approx. 17 months

The employee lodged their application 6 months late in the incorrect jurisdiction. After the employee discovered that her first application was lodged in the wrong jurisdiction she took a further 10 months to lodge an application with the Commission. It was found that no exceptional circumstances existed.

The extension of time was refused.

Prejudice to the employer

Prejudice to the employer will go against granting an extension of time.[17] However the 'mere absence of prejudice to the employer is an insufficient basis to grant an extension of time'.[18]

A long delay gives rise 'to a general presumption of prejudice'.[19]

The employer must produce evidence to demonstrate prejudice. It is then up to the employee to show that the facts do not amount to prejudice.[20]

Prejudice to the employer means unfair disadvantage to the employer that was caused by the delay in filing the application.

Case examples

Prejudice to the employer – extension granted

Carfoot v SAC Sydney Archdiocese T/A St Vincent De Paul Society

Carfoot v SAC Sydney Archdiocese T/A St Vincent De Paul Society [2010] FWA 4080 (Raffaelli C, 10 June 2010).

Length of time outside timeframe: 5 days

The employer argued it would be prejudiced by an extension of time being granted. The Commission found that any prejudice caused due to the short delay would be minimal.

The extension of time was granted.

Prejudice to the employer – NO extension granted

Druett v Rail Corporation New South Wales (RailCorp)

Druett v Rail Corporation New South Wales (RailCorp) [2008] AIRC 363 (Cartwright SDP, 28 April 2008).

Leave to appeal refused [2008] AIRCFB 599 (Watson VP, Drake SDP, Spencer C, 20 August 2008), [(2008) 176 IR 32].

Length of time outside timeframe: Approx. 28 years

The employer demonstrated prejudice caused by the delay. The employer had no record of employment other than an employment history card.

The Commission found that there was no merit to the application. Extending the time for lodgment of an application for which there was no jurisdiction was a pointless exercise. Moreover, to do so would be unfair to previous unsuccessful applicants in like positions.

The extension of time was refused.

Burke v Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

Burke v Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service [2011] FWA 1386 (Simpson C, 4 March 2011).

Permission to appeal refused [2011] FWAFB 8480 (Harrison SDP, Richards SDP, Smith C, 8 December 2011).

Length of time outside timeframe: 377 days

The employer argued prejudice due to the significant delay in filing the application. This argument was accepted.

The extension of time was refused.

Note: This was in relation to a general protections claim under s.365 of the Fair Work Act 2009. The extension of time provisions in relation to a general protections claim has identical wording to the extension of time provisions in relation to an unfair dismissal claim.

Merits of the application

The merits of the application are a relevant consideration in determining whether to exercise the discretion to extend the timeframe.[21]

A highly meritorious claim may persuade a decision-maker to accept an explanation for delay that would otherwise have been insufficient.[22]

When considering the merits, the Commission may consider whether the employee has a sufficient case.[23] The Commission cannot make any findings on contested matters without hearing evidence.[24] Evidence on the merits is rarely called at an extension of time hearing.[25] As a result of this the Commission 'should not embark on a detailed consideration of the substantive case'.[26]

Case examples

Merits of the matter – extension granted

Applicant v Respondent

Applicant v Respondent [2012] FWA 2111 (Sams DP, 22 March 2012).

Length of time outside timeframe: 9 days

The employee claimed that he was shocked at being dismissed in circumstances where he had been made redundant 3 months earlier (although not paid any redundancy benefits) and immediately re-engaged. He said that he was not given a written notice of his termination of employment and has still not received one.

The merits of the case were described as the strongest factor in the employee's favour.

The extension of time was granted.

Dundas-Taylor v The Cuisine Group Pty Ltd

Dundas-Taylor v The Cuisine Group Pty Ltd [2011] FWAFB 6008 (Acton SDP, McCarthy DP, Spencer C, 5 September 2011), [(2011) 212 IR 265].

Length of time outside timeframe: 41 days

The employee lodged an initial application for unfair dismissal before he had been dismissed. His subsequent application was lodged after 14 days.

The decision at first instance denied the employee an extension on the basis of the merits of the case.

On appeal the Full Bench found that there was insufficient evidence in the first instance to conclude that the merits would be anything less than a neutral consideration.

The extension of time was granted.

Fairness as between the person and other persons in a similar position

The key issue is that the applicant seeking an extension of time is considered in relation to other applicants employed by the same employer, and affected by the same issue, who filed applications in time.[27]

References

Content

[1] Ho v Professional Services Review Committee No 295 [2007] FCA 388 (26 March 2007) at para. 25; citing R v Kelly [2000] QB 198, 208; cited in Nulty v Blue Star Group Pty Ltd [2011] FWAFB 975 (Lawler VP, Sams DP, Williams DP, 16 February 2011) at para. 13, [(2011) 203 IR 1].

[2] ibid.

[3] ibid.

[4] ibid., at para. 26.

[5] Stogiannidis v Victorian Frozen Foods Distributors Pty Ltd t/as Richmond Oysters [2018] FWCFB 901 (Ross J, Binet DP, Harper-Greenwell C, 16 February 2018) at para. 38.

[6] Nulty v Blue Star Group Pty Ltd [2011] FWAFB 975 (Lawler VP, Sams DP, Williams DP, 16 February 2011) at para. 14, [(2011) 203 IR 1].

[7] Brodie-Hanns v MTV Publishing Ltd (1995) 67 IR 298, 299‒300.

[8] Stogiannidis v Victorian Frozen Foods Distributors Pty Ltd t/as Richmond Oysters [2018] FWCFB 901 (Ross J, Binet DP, Harper-Greenwell C, 16 February 2018) at para. 39.

[9] Clark v Ringwood Private Hospital (1997) 74 IR 413, 418‒420; cited in Davidson v Aboriginal & Islander Child Care Agency (1998) 105 IR 1; cited in McConnell v A & PM Fornataro T/A Tony's Plumbing Service (2011) 202 IR 59 [35].

[10] ibid.

[11] ibid.

[12] ibid.

[13] ibid.

[14] ibid.

[15] Burns v Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (Inc), Print T3496 (AIRCFB, Williams SDP, Acton SDP, Gregor C, 21 November 2000) at para. 28.

[16] Brodie-Hanns v MTV Publishing Ltd (1995) 67 IR 298, 299‒300.

[17] ibid.

[18] ibid.

[19] Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541, 556 (McHugh J).

[20] Cowie v State Electricity Commission of Victoria [1964] VR 788 (21 July 1964); cited in Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541, 547. See Jervis v Coffey Engineering Group Pty Limited, PR927201 (AIRCFB, Marsh SDP, Duncan SDP, Harrison C, 3 February 2003) at para. 16.

[21] Brodie-Hanns v MTV Publishing Ltd (1995) 67 IR 298, 299‒300.

[22] Haining v Deputy President Drake (1998) 87 FCR 248, 250.

[23] Kyvelos v Champion Socks Pty Ltd, Print T2421 (AIRCFB, Giudice J, Acton SDP, Gay C, 10 November 2000) at para. 14.

[24] ibid.

[25] ibid.

[26] ibid.

[27] Whittle v Redi Milk Australia Pty Ltd [2016] FWC 3773 (Ryan C, 14 June 2016) at para. 38.

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Published by the Fair Work Commission (www.fwc.gov.au)
Last updated: 01 Jul 2022
Location on last update: https://www.fwc.gov.au/extension-time-lodging-application-0