Summary

Amends the: Fair Work Act 2009 to: provide that any period of unpaid special maternity leave taken by an eligible employee does not reduce that employee’s entitlement to unpaid parental leave; increase the maximum period of concurrent unpaid parental leave from three to eight weeks; allow leave to be taken in separate periods within the first 12 months of the birth or adoption of a child; expand access to the right to request flexible working arrangements; require employers to consult with employees about changes to regular rosters or ordinary work hours; enable pregnant employees to transfer to a safe job regardless of their period of service; require the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to take into account the need to provide additional remuneration for certain employees; enable an employee who is bullied at work to apply to the FWC for an order to stop the bullying; allow the FWC to arbitrate general protection dismissal disputes and unlawful termination disputes when parties consent; align the time for making an unlawful termination application with the time limit of 21 days that applies for making general protection dismissal and unfair dismissal applications; clarify the FWC’s power to conciliate, mediate, express opinions and make recommendations at a conference; allow FWC members to be concurrently appointed to positions under Commonwealth or territory laws; establish a framework under which permit holders may enter premises for investigation and discussion purposes; and expressly confer on the FWC the function of promoting cooperative and productive workplace relations and preventing disputes; Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Act 2012 in relation to disclosure obligations of registered organisations; and Fair Work Act 2009 and Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Act 2012 to make technical amendments.