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2025 brought significant employment law developments — and 2026 will introduce even more change. From flexible working requests and redundancy obligations to payroll compliance and upcoming reforms, this practical update explains what Australian employers need to know now to stay compliant and reduce workplace risk.

Every year, as the festive season approaches, many organisations find themselves preparing not just for celebration but for the potential issues that may ensue long after the Christmas decorations come down.

Receiving a show cause notice at work can be one of the most stressful and confusing experiences for an employee. A show cause notice is issued when an employer requires an employee to explain or justify their conduct before any disciplinary action, including termination, is considered. Handling this process incorrectly can have serious consequences, which is why seeking expert guidance is crucial.

Workplace discrimination and harassment are serious legal issues that can have long-lasting impacts on employees’ health, wellbeing, and career prospects. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) decision in Green v State of Queensland, Brooker and Keating [2017] QCAT 008 highlights the importance of protecting employees from unlawful treatment and demonstrates how tribunals approach compensation for sexual harassment and discrimination claims.

Westpac’s rejection of a mother’s WFH request: A cautionary tale for all employers

New psychosocial health regulations which will take effect from December 2025 in Victoria are a timely reminder for all employers to get on the front foot and ensure that their workplace policies are up to date and an effective means of preventing, managing and controlling risks associated with psychological hazards in the workplace (including bullying, harassment, violence or exposure to traumatic events).

Amendments to the Australian Human Rights Commission Act introduced late in 2024 provide greater protection for those bringing claims based on unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment. The amendments effectively change the effect of section 570 of the Fair Work Act, which provides that parties usually bear their own costs of proceedings, whether successful or not, for claims brought in the Federal Court and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

What would you do if your employer made your work life unbearable, but didn’t outright fire you? Is it unfair dismissal when you’re pushed to resign? These are pressing questions in Australia’s workforce, where the line between voluntary resignation and constructive dismissal—also known as forced resignation—can often blur.

Imagine arriving to work one day only to find a new contract on your desk, detailing major changes to your role, hours, or pay. Your heart sinks as you wonder: Can they actually do this?

The recent case of Shamrock Civil Engineering Pty Ltd v Honan Insurance Group Pty Ltd [2024] QSC 313, concerned a waste site in Ipswich which cost $31 million to remedy. The question before the Supreme Court of Queensland was who whether liability should rest with Cleanaway or Shamrock.

Managers need to be able to direct and supervise their staff. Inevitably, a question then arises as to what constitutes reasonable directives and action from managers.

Although 2024 might seem like a while ago now, there are a few things employers must remember when employing casuals.

From 26 August 2024 amendments to the Fair Work Act come into effect which extend protections afforded to employees otherwise not protected.

The last few months has seen a spike in queries relating to sexual harassment in the workplace, illustrating that despite numerous #MeToo campaigns many employees are still not able to go to work without having to deal with sexually charged “jokes”, unwanted touching or worse…

The Closing the Loopholes legislation includes principles to apply when determining the ordinary meaning of an 'employer' and 'employee' and requiring an assessment of the real substance, practical reality and true nature of the working relationship by considering the 'totality' of the relationship.

On 8 April 2021, the complainant (whom we will call Kylie) had a medical episode in her employer’s carpark. The episode was the result of a pre-existing medical condition which Kylie had not disclosed to her employer. Approximately seven other employees saw Kylie lying on the carpark floor apparently unconscious and provided her with CPR.