澳大利亚联邦法院法官Michael Lee周四裁定，将加快支付对1820名被Qantas非法解雇员工的赔偿[1]。该裁定将3800万美元的罚款与1.2亿美元的赔偿方案分开处理，以便受影响工人能更迅速地获得赔偿款项[1]。这些地勤员工自2020年被非法解雇以来已等待六年之久，期间面临长期的赔偿延误[1]。
Qantas已同意支付1.2亿美元赔偿金，另被罚款9000万美元，其中5000万美元罚款将支付给运输工人工会(TWU)[1]。赔偿进程的延误原因包括111份独立医学检查报告未达标准，以及医保报销规则相关问题[1]。Maurice Blackburn律师事务所因在7月最后期限前仅10天才申请延期至10月而向法庭道歉[1]。
在宣布裁定时，Lee法官以圣经典故作比喻，表示："我必须坦白地对你说，从《创世纪》第三章以来，我们都处于堕落的状态，我们都会犯错"[1]。
Federal Court Justice Michael Lee ruled on Thursday to accelerate compensation payments to 1,820 Qantas ground staff members who were unlawfully dismissed [1]. The judge separated a A$38 million penalty from a A$120 million compensation scheme to streamline the payment process [1]. These workers have waited six years since their illegal termination in 2020 to receive full redress [1].
Qantas agreed to pay the A$120 million in worker compensation while facing a total of A$90 million in penalties, with A$50 million directed to the Transport Workers' Union [1]. The separation of the penalty from the compensation package aims to resolve prolonged delays that have afflicted the payout process [1]. Compensation delays stemmed from 111 independent medical examination reports failing to meet required standards and complications involving insurance rebate regulations [1].
Maurice Blackburn law firm, representing the workers, apologized after filing for a deadline extension only ten days before the July deadline, requesting a postponement until October [1]. Justice Lee delivered a characteristically reflective remark during proceedings, stating: "I must be frank with you, since Chapter Three of Genesis, we have all been in a fallen state, we all make mistakes" [1].