Fair Work rules university must let worker do job from home

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 06:32 · Archive

Australia's Fair Work Commission ordered Victoria University to allow a 63-year-old employee to work from home because her commute was too tiring.

Australia's Fair Work Commission has ordered Victoria University to allow a 63-year-old student adviser to work from home because her commute is too tiring. The commission ordered the university to run a six-month trial for the worker, despite much of her role being to help students face-to-face when they visit in person.

The Fair Work Act allows people over 55, parents of school-aged children, carers and people with a disability to appeal an employer's decisions on flexible work arrangements. Madeleine Hill, general manager of recruitment firm Randstad Australia, said the ruling is unlikely to open a 'floodgate' of similar appeals. 'I don't think we're going to see the floodgates open. I don't think there'll be a big shift. I think there will be a logical evolution,' she said.

Research from Randstad shows 43 per cent of job seekers will reject a role that mandates five days in the office. 'Working from home is very much a pillar of modern society,' Ms Hill told NewsWire. 'If you're demanding people need to be in the office full time, you're missing out on a big chunk of talent.'

How it is being reported

• Uni worker winning WFH case over commuter fatigue ‘unlikely’ to open floodgatesA recruitment expert often jokes people in one state see WFH as a “birthright”, but a landmark Fair Work ruling is unlikely to open the floodgates, she says.The West Australian · 20 Oct, 06:17
• Uni worker winning WFH case over commuter fatigue ‘unlikely’ to open floodgatesA recruitment expert often jokes people in one state see WFH as a “birthright”, but a landmark Fair Work ruling is unlikely to open the floodgates, she says.Perth Now · 20 Oct, 06:17

In this story: Victoria University · Fair Work Commission · Randstad Australia · Madeleine Hill

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