New procedural rules under the Fair Work Act 2009 to streamline applications, expand digital lodgement and strengthen protections for gig workers

Australia's national workplace relations tribunal has released a draft of proposed rule changes that will affect how employers, employees and HR professionals interact with the Fair Work Commission (FWC), with submissions open until 1 July 2026.

Justice Adam Hatcher, President of the Fair Work Commission in Sydney, published an exposure draft of the Fair Work Commission Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Rules 2026. The proposed amendments to the Fair Work Commission Rules 2024 are wide-ranging, touching on everything from digital lodgement systems to new protections for gig economy workers.

What HR teams need to know

The most immediately practical change for HR managers and employment relations specialists is the introduction of the MyFWC electronic lodgement facilities – a new digital system for submitting applications directly to the commission. Under the proposed rules, general protections dismissal applications and unfair dismissal applications would be lodgeable through the new platform, with the system also capable of accepting supporting documents and respondent responses.

The commission has also clarified which document types may be lodged through its existing online lodgement facilities, limiting those to: applications for approval of enterprise agreements (excluding greenfields agreements); general protections...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiywFBVV95cUxPNnN6UTA3WG9GcGQweGxGTjBw...