Characterising a settled lawsuit by a Westpac senior executive alleging employment breaches as a “private” matter, a judge has made broad confidentiality orders that bar public access to the case.
Despite arguing for suppression as a means only to successful mediation, Westpac now wants a settled employment case brought by an executive kept under lock and key. And in a worrying sign the Federal Court may have lost sight of the importance of open justice, a judge has indicated she would entertain an order that the suit never see the light of day.
Westpac has secured confidentiality orders blocking the release of details of an adverse action case by its former head of strategy, after arguing that publicity would hamper settlement talks and force it to defend itself in the media.
A Canberra massage parlour that systematically underpaid, intimidated and exploited migrant workers, including by threatening to kill their family members if they complained, has been hit with a $1 million penalty.
An underpayments class action brought by postgraduate research candidates at the University of Sydney is facing another summary dismissal bid from the federal government, as the university foreshadows a novel argument that the group members are not employees.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia and subsidiary CommSec have been hit with $10.34 million in penalties — the highest ever imposed in enforcement action by the workplace regulator — after admitting it underpaid thousands of employees more than $16 million.
A former National Rugby League referee has lost his unfair dismissal lawsuit alleging he suffered bullying and victimisation, with a judge finding the league did not terminate his employment but “acted passively” in letting his contract term end.
Ten wants to stay a sex discrimination claim brought by journalist Tegan George in light of separate personal injury proceedings seeking damages from the broadcaster over PTSD allegedly caused by reporting from the 2019-2020 bushfires.
CBA should pay a penalty of $12.8 million — close to the maximum penalty the court can impose on the bank — for underpaying its staff to the tune of $16.4 million, a judge has heard.
A judge has panned as “thoroughly unsatisfactory” a draft notice informing group members in an underpayments class action against the federal government that only claims on behalf of postgraduate research students at the University of Sydney will continue.