Benchmark WA Industrial Relations Case Database

Dismissal while injured/on workers comp

doctrinal BOTH dismissal_while_injured branch: whs_compensation

Synthesis · 342 tagged cases

342 tagged decisions (237 as primary). Of primary decisions, the most common outcome is '(unspecified)' (232, 98%).

Outcome distribution

Outcomen%
Resolved (unspecified) 232 98%
Against applicant dismissed 3 1%
For applicant Application granted 1 0%
For applicant granted 1 0%

By jurisdiction

Courtn
Fair Work Commission158
Single Commissioner (WAIRC)123
Fair Work Commission (Full Bench)24
Full Bench (WAIRC)7
Fair Work Australia (former)7
AATA5
NSWCA2
NSWIRComm2
Industrial Magistrates Court2
Public Service Appeal Board (former)2
VSC1
NSWADT1
WASAT1
Fair Work Australia (Full Bench, former)1
Industrial Appeal Court1
WA Court of Appeal1
Federal Magistrates Court (former)1
TASSC1
High Court of Australia1
Federal Circuit Court of Australia1

Key articulated principles · 4

para 102 — from [2016] FWC 804 FWC
Where an employee has abused the workers compensation system and breached trust in that system, the loss of trust is fundamental to maintenance of the employment relationship and can support a finding that dismissal is not harsh despite the employee's long service and limited employment prospects.
Test: Trust in workers comp system
para 9 — from [2016] FWC 2731 FWC
Absences from work due to legitimate illness, where the employee complies with employer requirements for medical certificates, do not constitute a valid reason for dismissal.
para 42 — from [2025] FWC 746 FWC
An absence due to genuine illness, where the employee was not in a position to notify the employer earlier, does not constitute a valid reason for dismissal.
para 20 — from [2025] FWC 2390 FWC
If an employment relationship is severed due to an employee's extended absence and failure to return, this may constitute abandonment of employment by the employee rather than dismissal by the employer.

Leading cases · by citation count

CitationCourtRoleCited
[2009] AATA 731 AATA primary 7
[2011] VSC 344 VSC primary 5
[2010] AATA 263 AATA primary 5
[2010] AATA 960 AATA primary 2
[2018] NSWCA 226 NSWCA primary 1
[2012] AATA 752 AATA primary 1
[2009] NSWADT 312 NSWADT primary 1
[2007] NSWCA 239 NSWCA primary 1

All tagged cases · 200

CitationCourtRoleDateOutcomeCited
[2009] AATA 731 AATA primary 2009-09-24 7
[2011] VSC 344 VSC primary 2011-07-27 5
[2010] AATA 263 AATA primary 2010-04-15 5
[2010] AATA 960 AATA primary 2010-12-01 2
[2018] NSWCA 226 NSWCA primary 2018-01-01 1
[2012] AATA 752 AATA primary 2012-10-31 1
[2009] NSWADT 312 NSWADT primary 2009-12-14 1
[2007] NSWCA 239 NSWCA primary 2007-09-11 1
[2026] FWC 2593 FWC primary 2026-07-08 0
[2026] FWC 2212 FWC primary 2026-06-23 0
[2026] FWC 2275 FWC primary 2026-06-19 0
[2026] FWC 2209 FWC primary 2026-06-15 0
[2026] FWC 2082 FWC primary 2026-06-05 0
[2026] WAIRC 328 WAIRC — Full Bench primary 2026-05-22 For applicant 0
[2026] FWC 1763 FWC primary 2026-05-14 0
(2026) 106 WAIG 18 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2026-02-04 0
[2026] FWCFB 11 FWC — Full Bench primary 2026-01-01 Against applicant 0
[2025] FWCFB 282 FWC — Full Bench primary 2025-12-08 0
[2025] FWC 1428 FWC primary 2025-01-01 For applicant 0
[2025] FWC 3596 FWC primary 2025-01-01 0
[2025] FWC 3906 FWC primary 2025-01-01 0
[2024] FWCFB 256 FWC — Full Bench primary 2024-05-07 0
[2024] FWC 369 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 374 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 537 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 551 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 683 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 1365 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 1403 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 1678 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 1711 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 2484 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 3106 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 3109 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 3321 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 3403 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 3475 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2024] FWC 3534 FWC primary 2024-01-01 0
[2022] FWC 3138 FWC primary 2023-04-03 0
[2023] FWC 439 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 653 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 940 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 1006 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 1875 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 1954 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 1966 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 2167 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 2191 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 2324 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 2483 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 2727 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 2801 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 2892 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWC 3220 FWC primary 2023-01-01 0
[2023] FWCFB 69 FWC — Full Bench primary 2023-01-01 0
FWC primary 2021-08-23 0
[2021] FWCFB 3106 FWC — Full Bench primary 2021-06-01 0
[2021] FWC 98 FWC primary 2021-01-01 0
[2021] FWC 950 FWC primary 2021-01-01 0
[2020] NSWIRComm 1063 NSWIRComm primary 2020-09-17 0
[2020] FWCFB 3169 FWC — Full Bench primary 2020-06-17 0
[2020] FWCFB 394 FWC — Full Bench primary 2020-01-24 0
[2019] FWC 7886 FWC primary 2020-01-24 0
(2020) 100 WAIG 7 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2020-01-16 0
[2020] NSWIRComm 1007 NSWIRComm primary 2020-01-01 0
[2020] FWC 3777 FWC primary 2020-01-01 0
[2020] FWC 3867 FWC primary 2020-01-01 0
[2020] FWC 4211 FWC primary 2020-01-01 0
[2020] FWC 4324 FWC primary 2020-01-01 0
[2020] FWC 4544 FWC primary 2020-01-01 0
[2020] FWC 4809 FWC primary 2020-01-01 0
[2019] FWCFB 6094 FWC — Full Bench primary 2019-09-06 0
[2019] FWCFB 2277 FWC — Full Bench primary 2019-04-05 0
[2019] FWCFB 2151 FWC — Full Bench primary 2019-04-04 0
[2019] FWC 2262 FWC primary 2019-01-01 0
[2019] FWC 2429 FWC primary 2019-01-01 0
[2019] FWC 3675 FWC primary 2019-01-01 0
[2019] FWC 5622 FWC primary 2019-01-01 0
[2018] FWCFB 4552 FWC — Full Bench primary 2018-08-08 0
[2018] FWCFB 2316 FWC — Full Bench primary 2018-05-08 0
(2018) 98 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2018-04-19 0
[2018] FWC 1011 FWC primary 2018-03-06 0
[2018] FWC 741 FWC primary 2018-01-01 0
[2018] FWC 1033 FWC primary 2018-01-01 0
[2018] FWC 2689 FWC primary 2018-01-01 0
[2017] FWCFB 4420 FWC — Full Bench primary 2017-09-01 0
[2017] FWCFB 4537 FWC — Full Bench primary 2017-09-01 0
(2017) 97 WAIG 34 WAIRC — Full Bench primary 2017-08-21 0
[2017] WASAT 2 WASAT primary 2017-01-10 0
[2017] FWC 1477 FWC primary 2017-01-01 0
[2017] FWC 2856 FWC primary 2017-01-01 0
[2017] FWC 4309 FWC primary 2017-01-01 0
[2017] FWC 4491 FWC primary 2017-01-01 0
[2017] FWC 4700 FWC primary 2017-01-01 0
[2017] FWC 5678 FWC primary 2017-01-01 0
[2016] FWC 5927 FWC primary 2016-12-21 0
[2015] FWCFB 5258 FWC — Full Bench primary 2015-09-15 0
[2015] FWCFB 6246 FWC — Full Bench primary 2015-09-10 0
(2015) 95 WAIG 3 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2015-07-01 0
(2015) 95 WAIG 60 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2015-03-12 0
[2014] FWCFB 7533 FWC — Full Bench primary 2014-10-29 0
[2014] FWCFB 6733 FWC — Full Bench primary 2014-09-25 0
(2015) 95 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2014-09-03 0
(2015) 95 WAIG 14 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2014-09-03 0
[2014] FWCFB 2288 FWC — Full Bench primary 2014-07-01 0
[2014] FWCFB 3582 FWC — Full Bench primary 2014-06-12 0
[2013] FWC 9957 FWC primary 2014-02-25 0
(2014) 94 WAIG 2 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2014-02-10 0
[2013] FWCFB 2390 FWC — Full Bench primary 2013-04-29 0
(2013) 93 WAIG 37 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2013-01-24 0
[2013] FWCFB 762 FWC — Full Bench primary 2012-09-13 0
(2012) 92 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2012-03-27 0
[2011] FWAFB 8043 FWAFB primary 2011-11-25 0
(2011) 91 WAIG 1 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2011-11-15 0
(2011) 91 WAIG 18 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2011-09-06 0
[2011] AATA 92 AATA primary 2011-02-14 0
(2006) 86 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2006-01-23 0
FWC primary 2005-04-11 0
FWC primary 2005-03-09 0
(2005) 85 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2005-02-11 0
(2005) 85 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2005-01-13 0
FWC primary 2004-11-30 0
(2004) 84 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2004-10-12 0
FWC primary 2004-08-16 0
FWC primary 2004-06-17 0
(2004) 84 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2004-05-18 0
FWC primary 2004-04-30 0
(2004) 84 WAIG 4 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2004-04-08 0
(2004) 84 WAIG 2 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2004-02-06 0
(2004) 84 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2004-02-03 0
FWC primary 2003-11-14 0
(2003) 83 WAIG 2003 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2003-10-17 0
(2003) 83 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2003-09-18 0
(2003) 83 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2003-09-02 0
(2004) 84 WAIG 2003 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2003-08-11 0
(2003) 83 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2003-07-25 0
(2004) 84 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2003-05-16 0
FWC primary 2003-05-08 0
FWC primary 2003-05-07 0
FWC primary 2003-04-17 0
FWC primary 2003-03-27 0
(2003) 83 WAIG 9 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2003-02-11 0
(2002) 82 WAIG 11 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2002-07-25 0
(2002) 82 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2002-06-10 0
(2002) 82 WAIG 14 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2002-05-03 0
(2002) 82 WAIG 34 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2001-12-20 0
(2001) 81 WAIG 2450 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2001-07-31 0
(2001) 81 WAIG 1206 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2001-03-22 0
(2000) 80 WAIG 5126 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2000-10-24 0
(2000) 80 WAIG 2890 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2000-07-03 0
(2000) 80 WAIG 2478 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2000-06-07 0
(2000) 80 WAIG 2492 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 2000-05-23 0
(2000) 80 WAIG 252 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1999-12-17 0
(1999) 79 WAIG 2306 WAIRC — Full Bench primary 1999-08-23 0
(1999) 79 WAIG 1906 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1999-06-22 0
(1998) 78 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1998-02-02 0
(1997) 77 WAIG 1718 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1997-06-11 0
(1997) 77 WAIG 844 WAIRC — Full Bench primary 1997-03-07 0
(1996) 76 WAIG 4860 WAIRC — Full Bench primary 1996-11-22 0
(1996) 76 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1996-08-22 0
(1995) 75 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1995-11-22 0
(1994) 74 WAIG WAIRC — Full Bench primary 1994-10-11 0
(1994) 74 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1994-07-15 0
(1994) 74 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1994-05-09 0
(1993) 73 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1993-09-15 0
(1993) 73 WAIG 2 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1993-01-22 0
(1992) 72 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1992-11-17 0
(1992) 72 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1992-10-01 0
(1992) 72 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1992-02-03 0
(1991) 71 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1991-06-13 0
(1991) 71 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1991-04-11 0
(1991) 71 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1991-02-04 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1990-01-01 0
(1990) 70 WAIG 8 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1990-01-01 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1990-01-01 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1990-01-01 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1990-01-01 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1990-01-01 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1990-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-10-30 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-09-08 0
(1989) 69 WAIG 19 WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-07-01 0
(1990) 70 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-06-13 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0
(1989) 69 WAIG WAIRC — Single Commissioner primary 1989-01-01 0