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Union Finance Union warned banks to review WFH policies
Jonathan Barrett
The Financial Sector Union warned that they could be violating the labor law if they reject flexible work requests without proper consideration, consultation or justification.
The FSU’s letter, sent to financial institutions across Australia, follows last month’s landmark employment judgment allowing Westpac employee, Karlene Chandlerto work from home, fix an order from the bank to attend a corporate office two days a week.
Westpac was found to have breached various procedural requirements in responding to Chandler’s request. The bank also failed to have reasonable business grounds for denying his application.
The FSU member, who has young children, relies on a section of fair employment practice that allows qualified employees to have caregiving responsibilities.
the FSU National Assistant Secretary, Nicole McPhersonsaid:
We tell each main bank to get their own house – fixing the rejected work-from-home requests, obeying the law like flexibility is a privilege.
Westpac broke the law when it ignored worker rights and we put every other bank on notice that they cannot do the same.
Westpac previously said last week it was presenting its response to the decision and would decide on next steps in the coming weeks.
The bank defended the policies of the office, describing it as “one of the easiest work-from-home positions on the market”.
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And the bank’s labor union has written to financial institutions warning them to respect requests for flexible working after a landmark ruling on the WFH.