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ARTICLE · 29 APRIL 2012

Key lessons from the Amcor employment case

Holding Redlich
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Under an employment contract, an employee owes the implied duties of loyalty, honesty, confidentiality and mutual trust.

AustraliaEmployment and HR
Charles Power
Charles Power
Georgina French
Georgina French
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On 20 March 2012 Justice Vickery of the Supreme Court of Victoria handed down a decision in Hodgson v Amcor Ltd; Amcor Ltd & Ors v Barnes & Ors [2012] VSC 94. The judgment followed 35 days of hearing, during which a number of separate issues were heard.

The focus of this article is the claims made in that proceeding by the previous Group General Manager (GGM) of Amcor's Fibre Packaging business, Mr James Hodgson (Hodgson). Hodgson claimed that he was owed various amounts under his contract of employment as a result of the termination of his employment by Amcor on 1 October 2004. Amcor defended Hodgson's claims on the primary basis that Hodgson was disentitled to the amounts claimed by reason of serious misconduct.

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