MKL Legal

02/06/2026

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has handed down its 2026 Annual Wage Review decision ordering an increase of 4.75% to most Award rates.

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) and most Award Level 1 rates have been increased by an additional amount in excess of the 4.75%, increasing to $1004.90 per week, or $26.44 per hour. The introductory rates in Modern Awards have similarly been increased by an additional amount to $978.10 per week or $25.74 per hour.

All of the FWC wage increases are payable in the first pay period from 1 July 2026.

For further reading please see the FWC Full Bench announcement athttps://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/resources/annual-wage-review-2026-decision-announcement.pdf

To read the full decision, visit:https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/resources/2026fwcfb3500.pdf

31/03/2026

Junior Award rates for 18-20 year old workers after six months' service to be abolished. Today the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission handed down its decision in the Junior Rates Application brought by the SDA to vary the junior rates in the General Retail Industry Award 2020, the Fast Food Industry Award 2020 and the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020. The Full Bench determined that the rates for 18-20 year olds be varied as follows:

10/02/2026

Employee side hustle constitutes a valid reason for dismissal. As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald today, a former employee has lost his Unfair Dismissal Application before the Fair Work Commission due to his conduct in running a personal coaching business alongside his full-time role as an Executive Manager at a recruitment company.

Commisioner Perica found that the employee's conduct was in breach of his contractual requirement for exclusive service and that as an executive he was required to devote the whole of his time, attention, and abilities exclusively to the employer's business. Furthermore, Commissioner Perica found that the employer did not condone the conduct as while it had some awareness of the coaching business, it was not aware of the full extent of the employee's involvement in that business.

To read the decision in full visit:https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/decisionssigned/pdf/2026fwc345.pdf

For the SMH article follow the link below:
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/worker-dismissed-for-side-hustle-he-claims-to-have-disclosed-20260206-p5o04m.html

A Victorian recruitment manager failed to have his unfair dismissal application accepted after starting a personal business and failing to clearly disclose it.

22/01/2026

Big news for NRL fans and employment lawyers. Tomorrow at midday in the Supreme Court of NSW, the Parramatta Eels will be seeking to restrain Zac Lomax from signing with the Melbourne Storm and argue that he is in breach of the terms of his agreed release from Parramatta that he would not sign with a rival NRL Club before 2028.