Victorian Public Sector employment and OHS year in review

The VGSO's Workplace Relations and Occupational Safety Branch invites you to join our annual Year in Review webinar.

We will provide you with a useful summary of the key ER/IR/OHS decisions in 2021 relevant for the Victorian Public Sector. We will also discuss key issues for Victorian Public Sector employers in 2022.

Webinar topics (and relevant cases)

Mandatory vaccinations, and employer rights and responsibilities in minimising the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace:

• Jennifer Kimber v Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care Ltd [2021] FWCFB 6015
• CFMMEU v Mt Arthur Coal [2021] FWCFB 6059
• QNurses First Inc v Monash Health [2021] FCA 1372
• Beydoun & Ors v Northern Health [2021] FWC 6341
• other key mandatory vaccination cases.

Recent High Court decisions concerning casual employment, employment vs contracting arrangements, the interaction between Codes of Conduct and freedom of speech and reasonable steps employers must take to minimise the risk of psychological injury in the workplace:

• Workpac Pty Ltd v Rossato [2021] HCA 23
• ZG Operations Australia Pty Ltd & Ors v Jamsek & Ors [2020] FCAFC 119
• CFMMEU v Personnel Contracting Pty Ltd [2020] FCAFC 122
• Ridd v James Cook University [2021] HCA 32
• Kozarov v State of Victoria [2020] VSCA 301.

Trends in OHS litigation and important OHS legislative amendments:

• DPP v MacKillop Family Services Ltd [2021] VCC 1810
• Hooper, Malcolm & Oxymed Australia P/L (ACN 606 641 954) v DPP [2021] VSCA 68
• Occupational Health and Safety and other Legislation Amendment Act 2021 (Vic)

Tips and traps when terminating public service and public sector executives in accordance with the VPSC standard executive contracts:

• Schneider v Warrnambool City Council [2021] VSC 337

Key decisions in the general protections jurisdiction including how to effectively discharge the reverse onus of proof:

• TechnologyOne Ltd v Roohizadegan [2021] FCAFC 137
• Wong v National Australia Bank Limited [2021] FCA 671
• Transport Workers’ Union of Australia v Qantas Airways Limited [2021] FCA 873

We'll also cover other key cases that should be on your radar.

This event will run for 1.5 hours given the content and to allow for questions and answers at the end.