{"generated_at":"2026-07-30","purpose":"Law-change radar — dated timeline of Australian workplace-law changes. Feeds the staged /insights timeline page, newsletter segments and AI-advisor grounding. Every entry must carry a source; re-verify status before the page ships (rule 6).","verification_note":"Entries marked verified:true were confirmed against the cited source or repo content already shipped under rule 6. verified:false = encoded from announcement-level knowledge; confirm primary source before rendering.","changes":[{"slug":"criminal-wage-theft","title":"Criminal wage theft offence","status":"commenced","date":"2025-01-01","summary":"Intentional underpayment of wages or entitlements became a Commonwealth criminal offence (Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023). Companies face fines up to 3x the underpayment or $8.25M.","who":"employers","source":"https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/workplace-laws/legislation-changes","verified":true},{"slug":"right-to-disconnect-small-business","title":"Right to disconnect extends to small business","status":"commenced","date":"2025-08-26","summary":"Employees of small businesses (fewer than 15 employees) gained the right to refuse unreasonable out-of-hours contact, one year after the general commencement.","who":"employees, small employers","source":"https://www.fwc.gov.au/issues-we-help/right-disconnect","verified":true},{"slug":"payday-super","title":"Payday Super","status":"commenced","date":"2026-07-01","summary":"Employers must pay superannuation within 7 days of each payday instead of quarterly. Late payment attracts an expanded super guarantee charge.","who":"employers","source":"https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/new-legislation/in-detail/superannuation/payday-superannuation","verified":true},{"slug":"ppl-26-weeks","title":"Paid Parental Leave reaches 26 weeks","status":"commenced","date":"2026-07-01","summary":"Government Paid Parental Leave completed its phased expansion to 26 weeks, with reserved concurrent weeks for each parent and superannuation now paid on PPL.","who":"employees, families","source":"https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/how-much-parental-leave-pay-you-can-get","verified":true},{"slug":"vic-wfh-right","title":"Victorian work-from-home right","status":"commencing","date":"2026-09-01","summary":"Victoria's legislated right to request work from home for eligible workers takes effect, the first state-level WFH entitlement in Australia.","who":"Victorian employees and employers","source":"fairworkmate.com.au/blog — VIC WFH coverage (de-hedged 2026-07-19 release)","verified":true},{"slug":"nda-ban-sexual-harassment","title":"NDA ban in workplace sexual harassment matters","status":"commencing","date":"2026-11-01","summary":"Non-disclosure agreements can no longer be used to silence workers in workplace sexual harassment settlements, subject to limited worker-requested exceptions.","who":"employers, employees, lawyers","source":"CLAUDE.md event calendar (encoded from government announcement)","verified":false},{"slug":"privacy-automated-decisions","title":"Privacy Act automated-decision transparency","status":"commencing","date":"2026-12-10","summary":"Organisations must disclose in privacy policies when personal information is used in automated decisions that significantly affect individuals — including AI-assisted hiring, rostering and dismissal decisions.","who":"employers using AI/automated tools","source":"fairworkmate.com.au/blog/ai-australian-workplace-rights (blog-batch-ai-governance-jul2026)","verified":true},{"slug":"non-compete-ban","title":"Non-compete clause ban for workers under the high-income threshold","status":"announced","date":"2027-01-01","summary":"The Commonwealth announced a ban on non-compete clauses for employees earning under the high-income threshold (~$183K). Legislation not yet passed; commencement date indicative from Budget 2025 announcement.","who":"employees, employers","source":"CLAUDE.md event calendar (Budget 2025-26 announcement; NO bill passed yet — re-verify before publishing)","verified":false},{"slug":"gig-minimum-standards","title":"Employee-like worker minimum standards (gig economy)","status":"commenced","date":"2024-08-26","summary":"The FWC gained power to set minimum standards orders for employee-like workers on digital platforms; first standards applications progressed through 2025-26.","who":"gig workers, platforms","source":"fairworkmate.com.au/blog/gig-worker-minimum-standards-2026 + /tools/gig-worker-rights","verified":true},{"slug":"nsw-whs-digital-work","title":"NSW WHS Digital Work Systems duties","status":"commenced","date":"2026-01-01","summary":"NSW Work Health and Safety Amendment (Digital Work Systems) Act 2026 extended WHS duties to algorithmic management and digital work systems.","who":"NSW employers using digital rostering/monitoring","source":"fairworkmate.com.au/blog/ai-australian-workplace-rights (blog-batch-ai-governance-jul2026)","verified":true}]}