What Will Labor’s Transitional Workplace Relations Bill Mean For Employers?

The first wave of Labor's workplace relations reforms has hit with the introduction of the transitional workplace relations bill to Parliament, beginning the rollback of Work Choices.

Until the bill becomes law, the current workplace relations laws will continue to apply. The latest developments indicate this could occur before Easter with the Coalition changing its position in relation to the timing of a Senate Committee Report back to Parliament.

This means the Workplace Agreements (AWAs or collective agreements) can still be made under current laws and, if applicable, subject to the Fairness Test.

Importantly, the bill establishes a new type of employee agreement and reintroduces a "no disadvantage" test for workplace agreements, that is similar to the no disadvantage test that applied before the commencement of Work Choices in March 2006.