8:55am Log on to Zoom – participants arrive
9:00am Welcome and introduction
Chair: Professor Joellen Riley Munton
9:15am The construction of the employment contract after the High Court decision in WorkPac v Rossato
Speaker: Christopher Parkin, Barrister, 5 Wentworth Chambers
- The common law concept of casual employment
- Recent amendments to the Fair Work Act dealing with casual employment
- Implications for the employee vs independent contractor distinction
- Options for employees whose contracts do not reflect the reality of their employment relationship.
10:15am Break (10 mins)
10:25am Class actions in employment law
Speaker: Philippa Munton, Senior Associate, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
- Overview of class action procedures in Australia
- Types of employment related class actions
- Reasons behind the uptake in employment class actions in recent years
- Procedural differences between employment law class actions and other class actions
- Security for costs
- Discovery
- Civil penalties
- Communications with workers / ‘group members’
- Impact of Rossato and recent amendments to Fair Work Act on current employment class actions in Australia.
11:25am Break (10 mins)
11:35am Class actions in employment law
Speaker: Brad Woodhouse, Partner, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
- Recent amendments concerning regulation of litigation funders
- Strategies and procedural risks for defendants
- Declassing applications
- Competing class actions – the ‘beauty parade’
- Settlement and common fund orders
- Expectations for trends in employment class actions after Rossato.
12:35pm Questions from the audience
12:50pm Close.
