On the 12th September 2023, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations wrote to the Fair Work Commission expressing the Government’s interest in initiating a targeted review of modern awards.
As a result the Commission has started a process to do just that. The review will focus on:

• The new object of the Fair Work Act and modern awards objective regarding job security and the need to improve access to secure work across the economy
• The impact of workplace relations settings on work and care, and
• Award coverage and minimum standards for the arts and culture sector.

The Full Bench will also consider any proposal to make modern awards easier to use.

The proposal will be confined to the 7 most commonly used awards, including Clerks – Private Sector Award 2020 and General Retail Industry Award 2020. 

Last week the Fair Work President announced the timetable for the review.

1. Arts and culture sector

6 November 2023: Discussion/research paper issued.
4 December 2023: Submissions in response due.
11 – 22 December 2023,
22 January – 2 February 2024: Consultation with interested parties.

2. Job security

18 December 2023: Discussion/research paper issued.
5 February 2024: Submissions in response due.
12 February – 8 March 2024: Consultation with interested parties.

 3. Work and care

29 January 2024: Discussion/research paper issued. 
11 March 2024: Submissions in response due.
18 March – 12 April 2024: Consultation with interested parties.

4. Making awards easier to use

22 December 2023: Interested parties to file proposals/draft determinations to vary any of the identified awards and accompanying submissions.
19 February 2024: Submissions in response due.
26 February – 5 April 2024: Consultation with interested parties.

If there is any feedback you would like to provide in relation to the review, please reach out to Alicia, we are happy to discuss.