An employer's "aggressive" reaction to a worker's public Facebook post, in which he claimed he came into contact with a COVID-19 case at work, was justified and not bullying, the Fair Work Commission has found.
More than one in three of the hundreds of COVID-19-related workers' compensation claims lodged in Australia involve mental health issues, new data from Safe Work Australia shows. Meanwhile, Western Australia has introduced a Bill extending its tough penalties for pandemic-related violence against frontline workers.
A review of investigations into workplace complaints over the management of COVID-19 shows how crucial a good safety culture can be in managing these types of risk, says Comcare NSW director of regulatory operations, Beverley Smith.
A commission has rejected a worker's claim that his employer forced him to resign by refusing to buy him a desk when it directed him to work from home during the pandemic, or that its actions were in breach of its safety duties.
Safety inspectors will be "out in force" to ensure employers are meeting their health and safety obligations as they reopen workplaces across Victoria, the State regulator says.
Workplaces will no longer need to be on Victoria's permitted work list to open under new pandemic rules, taking effect tonight, but workers who are able to work from home must continue to do so, and safety plans remain mandatory.
