From 1 January 2025, a new provision will come into effect under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) which makes it a criminal offence if an employer fails to pay an amount to an employee when due (such as wages), where it is proved beyond reasonable doubt that the employer intentionally did so.

New rights and protections have been introduced for workplace delegates (being employees who are appointed to represent members of an organisation in the workplace).

Recent changes for "employee-like" workers in the gig economy allow the Fair Work Commission to set minimum standards and handle disputes about unfair deactivation from digital platforms.

Employers now have a positive duty to take “reasonable and proportionate measures” to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace.

Recent changes to independent contractor laws, effective from 26 August 2024, introduce a new definition of employment, requiring courts to assess the "reality" of contractor relationships. If contractors are deemed employees, they are entitled to backpay for employee benefits. Contractors earning above $175,000 can opt out of this definition.

Recent changes to casual employment laws include a new definition of casual employees, effective from 26 August 2024, based on the absence of a firm commitment to ongoing work and entitlement to casual loading or pay. Casual employees can seek conversion to permanent roles after 6 months (12 months for small businesses).

From 26 August 2024, employees (except those in small businesses) will have the right to refuse to monitor, read, or respond to work-related contact outside working hours, unless it is unreasonable to do so.

The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs Better Pay) Act 2022 introduces several significant changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 and other related legislation, enhancing workplace arrangements.

Starting 1 January 2024, superannuation contributions will be included in the National Employment Standards (NES), granting most employees covered by the NES the legal ability to pursue recovery of unpaid or insufficient superannuation contributions through court under the Fair Work Act.

From 1 May 2023, updates to many awards now include new rules for managing annual leave during shutdown periods, which were not specifically addressed in earlier versions of the awards.

From December 6, 2023, new regulations will limit the use of fixed-term employment contracts to a maximum of two years, including any extensions or renewals, except under specific circumstances. These contracts cannot be extended or renewed more than once. Additionally, there are restrictions on offering consecutive fixed-term contracts to the same employee.

From 7 June 2023, employment contracts are prohibited from containing pay secrecy clauses.

Starting from June 6, 2023, the criteria for employees to request flexible work arrangements have expanded to include those experiencing family and domestic violence or who are pregnant. Employers now face stricter requirements when handling these requests

Starting July 1, 2023, Australia's Parental Leave Pay and Dad and Partner Pay will merge into a single payment scheme of 20 weeks, planned to incrementally extend to 26 weeks by July 2026. This reform introduces a unified family income threshold of $350,000 to determine eligibility, replacing the individual limit of $156,647. The scheme now allows either parent to claim the payment, offering increased flexibility in how parental leave can be utilized, including the option for both parents to be on leave simultaneously and to take leave in blocks as short as one day with periods of work in between.