SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian bank Westpac will not appeal a labour tribunal ruling after it lost a case to compel one of its workers to be in the office twice a week, according to a bank spokesperson. * The Fair Work Commission in October found in favour ofKarlene Chandler, who challenged Westpac after it said sheneeded […]
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Westpac will not appeal work-from-home ruling loss
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SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian bank Westpac will not appeal a labour tribunal ruling after it lost a case to compel one of its workers to be in the office twice a week, according to a bank spokesperson.
* The Fair Work Commission in October found in favour ofKarlene Chandler, who challenged Westpac after it said sheneeded to work from a corporate office two days a week. Untilearlier this year, she had been allowed to work remotely outsideof Sydney. * The decision means Chandler can work from home every day,despite a push by a number of bosses in the financial servicesindustry to try to get more people back into the office. * Chandler argued that travelling to a Westpac corporateoffice twice a week would take her at least two hours each way,adding that she was responsible for picking up and dropping offher children from school. * Chandler said she was told by a Westpac manager that”working from home is no substitution for childcare,” accordingto the Fair Work Commission decision. * Westpac Chief Executive Anthony Miller said at the bank’sresults briefing this week he believed an in-the-office rule fortwo to three days a week was best for the bank’s workforce.
(Reporting by Scott Murdoch; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)