Employment

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.

Lendlease, which is facing claims by a former Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills partner over its alleged “aggressive taxation position”, has failed in its bid for orders that evidence of the partner’s alleged loss be filed before mediation.

Star Track Express has lost its bid to summarily dismiss a lawsuit by a warehouse worker who claims it is vicariously liable for sexual harassment after the logistics company argued she had no contractual relationship with the business.

A former employee of the Australian Taxation Office who faced murder charges over a cold case from 1984, which have since been dropped, has lost his unfair dismissal case after the FWC found he was not forced to resign. 

Two former executives of Rebel Sports owner Super Retail Group have filed action in the Fair Work Commission alleging contraventions related to their dismissal from the company.

McDonald’s has raised concerns about a “skewed” sample of employees for the initial trial in a class action alleging the fast food giant denied shift managers compensation for pre- and post-shift work.

A judge has declined to order costs against basketball coach Shane Heal in his failed Fair Work case against the Sydney Flames, saying Heal’s claims were not “advanced without any factual or legal basis”.

The number of new class actions so far this year has fallen short of recent years, and not a single shareholder proceeding has been lodged in 2024 to date, according to a new report.

Plaintiff law firm Slater & Gordon has admitted to a payroll error affecting at least 100 current and former employees that has resulted in underpayments of at least $300,000.

A law firm has secured more funds to cover the cost of distributing a $20 million settlement reached in a class action against telco contractor BSA, but not as much as it wanted, with a judge saying the firm would have been stuck with its initial estimate if the administration gig had been put out to tender.