This June 2025 edition of the Significant Workplace Relations Issues Report provides Ai Group members with an update on a range of major developments.

A brief podcast, in which Ai Group Head of Workplace Relations Policy, Brent Ferguson, discusses some of the key issues in the report, is available here.

This month's report, exclusive to Ai Group members, includes the following:

• An overview of the Federal Government's workplace relations agenda and possible associated developments, including proposed changes to protect penalty rates in awards, the implementation of 'payday super' and restrictions on non-compete clauses in employment contracts.
• Key recent legislative developments, including proposed changes to NSW workers compensation, WHS and industrial legislation to address the dramatic increase in psychological injuries and related workers compensation claims, as well as legislative developments relating to portable long service leave for the community services sector in NSW, SA and the ACT.
• Major cases in the Fair Work Commission including the Annual Wage Review 2024-25 decision, the potential development of a working from home clause for the Clerks – Private Sector Award 2020 and other applications in respect of which Ai Group continues to allocate significant resources.
• Trends in enterprise bargaining.
• Government consultations, reports and announcements relating to the Black Coal Mining Long Service Leave Scheme, 'payday superannuation' and workplace surveillance in Victoria.
• Other major developments and cases, including the High Court decision dismissing a constitutional challenge to the Government's legislation placing union branches under administration, a Federal Court decision that found an employee was 'unlawfully dismissed' because of her political opinion, an ACCC investigation of an online platform for unfair contract terms under Australian Consumer Law and several Fair Work Commission decisions relating to flexible working requests,  the 'unfair deactivation' of 'gig workers' and the first voting request order.
• The most recent developments regarding workplace behaviours and equality, including a report by the Australian Human Rights Commission that recommends the introduction of civil penalties for the breach of the positive duty to eliminate sexual harassment, restricting non-disclosure agreements and the further expansion of employers' obligations under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Cth).
• Future directions in modern slavery, which the Australian Anti-Slavery Commission indicates may include mandatory due diligence, penalties for non-compliance and high-risk declarations.