What is Closing Loopholes?

The Closing Loopholes No.1 and No. 2 changes in Australia are designed to protect employees by closing gaps in employment laws.

Same Job, Same Pay

This new law ensures that workers doing the same job are paid the same, regardless of whether they are employed directly by the company or through labour hire firms. This change focuses on companies using labour hire to pay different wages and conditions.

Wage Theft

This change strengthens penalties for wage theft to deter employers from underpaying workers. It includes making it easier for employees to recover unpaid wages and holding employers accountable for deliberate underpayment.

Casual Employment

This new law clarifies the definition of casual employment and aims to ensure certain employees are not classified as casuals by employers to avoid providing entitlements like leave and job security.

Gig Economy and Contractors

These changes address the rights of gig economy workers and independent contractors to ensure they receive fair pay and conditions. This includes measures to prevent sham contracting and ensure workers are not misclassified to deny them entitlements.

Job Security and Rights

This change enhances job security and workers’ rights by ensuring that employees can access their entitlements and are protected from unfair dismissal and other exploitative practices.

Collective Bargaining

The changes to collective bargaining processes give workers a stronger voice in negotiating their pay and conditions. This includes making it easier for workers to engage in multi-employer bargaining and secure better outcomes.