The Federal Government is moving to introduce legislation, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023, designed to close ‘loopholes’ which are allegedly being exploited by some employers. Of the proposed legislation, the most significant element is the wage theft laws.

The phrase “shutdown” has typically been defined as a period when a business temporarily closes operations. Shutdowns typically occur over Christmas, or some other holiday period, in businesses that operate seasonally, or in the event the business needs to close for maintenance. Generally, employees are made to take either paid or unpaid leave and don’t have much flexibility or choice in this area.

The Albanese Government has introduced legislation that the Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has stated will help with “closing the loopholes that some businesses use to undercut workers’ pay, security and flexibility.”