[2025] FWC 1968
General information, not legal advice.
Fair Work Commission
2025-07-15
Original judgment source is linked above.
s.394 - Application for unfair dismissal remedy
Application for unfair dismissal remedy - Whether a modern award covers a person - Coverage of the Professional Employees Award 2020 - High income threshold - Payment of car allowance
(a) the person is an employee who has completed a period of employment with his or her employer of at least the minimum employment period; and
(b) one or more of the following apply:
- a modern award covers the person;
Whether a modern award covered Mr Afzal (section 382(b)(i))
[9] Determination of whether an employer or employee is covered by a modern award is likely to involve questions concerning the construction of its coverage terms as well as a factual question as to the application of those terms in the particular employment at issue. In Gourabi v Westgate Medical Centre [2019] FWCFB 3874, for example, the Full Bench explained:
... For relevant purposes, each modern award has a "coverage" clause that determines "the employers, employees, organisations and outworker entities" that are covered by it. The determination of whether a particular employment falls within the "coverage" clause of a modern award usually involves two considerations: first, a legal question concerning the proper construction of the coverage clause (and any other relevant provisions of the award) and, second, a factual question as to whether the employer and employee fall within the scope of the coverage clause, properly construed.
[16] The question of whether a particular award classification is appropriate and thus applicable to the work performed by an employee has traditionally been resolved by the application of the principle of "major and substantial employment" or an examination of the "principal purpose" of the employment. That assessment does not involve merely quantifying the time spent on the various elements of work performed by an employee. Rather, an examination must be made of the nature of the work and the circumstances in which the employee is employed to do the work. Further, it is not necessary that there be perfect correspondence between the classification descriptions, job-titles or indicative tasks contained in an industrial instrument. It is sufficient if the role in which a person is employed falls substantially within the scope of a classification described in the relevant award.
[17] It is important to acknowledge that, although often found to be a useful device, examination of the "major and substantial employment" or "principal purpose" of an employee's employment is no more than aid in the task of construing and applying the relevant industrial instrument. There will be instances in which the "principal purpose" test is ill-suited to determining whether a person falls within a classification if, for example, the classifications are expressed in highly generic terms and do not describe with any specificity the job functions required to be performed at each level. The task is ultimately to construe the coverage terms of the modern award and assess whether, having regard to the evidence, the employee falls within the coverage of the award.
Construction of the coverage terms of the PE Award
4.1 This industry and occupational award covers employers throughout Australia as follows:
(a) Employers throughout Australia with respect to their employees performing professional engineering and professional scientific duties who are covered by the classifications in Schedule A - Classification Structure and Definitions of the award and those employees.
(b) Employers throughout Australia principally engaged in the information technology industry, the quality auditing industry or the telecommunications services industry and their employees who are covered by the classifications in Schedule A - Classification Structure and Definitions.
(c) Employers throughout Australia principally engaged as medical research institute with respect to their employees performing professional medical research duties who are covered by the classifications in Schedule B - Medical Research Employees and those employees.
4.2 The award does not cover employees who are covered by the following awards:
4.3 The award does not cover employees of a local government covered by another award.
4.4 This award covers any employer which supplies labour on an on-hire basis in the industries set out in clause 4.1 in respect of on-hire employees in classifications covered by this award, and those on-hire employees, while engaged in the of work for a business in those industries. Clause 4.4 operates subject to the exclusions from coverage in this award.
4.5 This award covers any employer which supplies on-hire employees in classifications set out in Schedule A - Classification Structure and Definitions and those on-hire employees, if the employer is not covered by another modern award containing a classification which is more appropriate to the work performed by the employee. Clause 4.5 operates subject to the exclusions from coverage in this award.
4.6 This industry and occupational award does not cover:
(a) an employee excluded from award coverage by the Act;
(b) employees who are covered by a modern enterprise award, or an enterprise instrument (within the meaning of the Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2009 (Cth), or employers in relation to those employees; or
(c) employees who are covered by a State reference public sector modern award, or a State reference public sector transitional award (within the meaning of the Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2009 (Cth), or employers in relation to those employees;
4.7 Where an employer is covered by more than one award, an employee of that employer is covered by the award classification which is most appropriate to the work performed by the employee and the environment in which the employee normally performs the work.
NOTE: Where there is no classification for a particular employee in this award it is possible that the employer and that employee are covered by an award with occupational coverage.
Experienced engineer mean a Professional Engineer with the undermentioned qualifications engaged in any particular employment where the adequate discharge of any portion of the duties requires qualifications of the employee as (or at least equal to those of) a member of Engineers Australia. The qualifications are as follows:
(b) having graduated in a 4 or 5 year course at a university recognised by Engineers Australia, 4 years' experience on professional engineering duties since becoming a Qualified Engineer; or
(c) not having so graduated, 5 years of such experience.
Graduate engineer means a person who is the holder of a university degree (4 or 5 year course) recognised by Engineers Australia or is the holder of a degree, diploma or other testamur which:
(a) has been issued by a technical university, an institute of technology, a European technical high school (technische hochschule) or polytechnic or other similar educational establishment; and
(b) is recognised by Engineers Australia as attaining a standard similar to a university degree; and has been issued following:
(i) a course of not less than 4 years' duration for a full-time course after a standard of secondary education not less than the standard of examination for matriculation to an Australian university; or
(ii) a part-time course of sufficient duration to obtain a similar standard as a 4 year full-time course after a similar standard of secondary education.
Professional engineer means a person qualified to carry out professional engineering duties as defined. The term professional engineer includes graduate engineer and experienced engineer as defined in clause 2.2.
Professional engineering duties means duties carried out by a person in any particular employment, the adequate discharge of any portion of which duties requires qualifications of the employee as (or at least equal to those of) of a graduate member of Engineers Australia.
(a) the supply and/or installation of and/or maintenance of telecommunications services; or
(b) the supply and/or installation of and/or maintenance of value added telecommunications services; or
(c) incidental, ancillary or complementary to the supply and/or installation and/or maintenance of telecommunications services; or
(d) the installation and/or maintenance of telecommunications equipment and line.
An employee performing professional engineering duties, professional scientific duties, professional information technology duties or quality auditing must be classified in one of the following classifications provided that the employee is not employed in a wholly or principally managerial position.
(a) An employee at this level performs duties requiring the application of mature professional knowledge. With scope for individual accomplishment and coordination of more difficult assignments, the employee deals with problems for which it is necessary to modify established guides and devise new approaches.
(b) The employee may make some original contribution or apply new professional approaches and techniques to the design or development of equipment or products.
(c) Recommendations may be reviewed for soundness of judgment but are usually regarded as technically accurate and feasible. The employee makes responsible decisions on matters assigned, including the establishment of professional standards and procedures. The employee consults, recommends and advises in speciality areas.
(d) Work is carried out within broad guidelines requiring conformity with overall objectives, relative priorities and necessary cooperation with other units. Informed professional guidance may be available.
(e) The employee outlines and assigns work, reviews it for technical accuracy and adequacy, and may plan, direct, coordinate and supervise the work of other professional and technical staff.
(a) He was performing professional engineering duties as defined in clause 2.2 of the PE Award;
(b) The Respondent is an employer principally engaged in the telecommunications services industry;[3]
(c) He was covered by the Level 3 - Professional, which is a classification in Schedule A;[4]
(d) The exclusions from coverage in clauses 4.2 or 4.6 of the PE Award don't apply.[5]
Objective description Present IOT solutions, latest trends in internal and external Marketing events.
Ensure / organise presentation (training, reference case, LinkedIn post) during OBS Sales Marketing event directly or with partners in H1 2024.
The content and the list of people invited / present needs to be approved up-front by your direct manager at least 3 weeks before the session takes place. Measurement: Proofs (agenda, OBS presence, content, speakers)
Employee comment Workshops & Sessions for internal (e.g. ANZ Smart Industries GTM session, Freshworks session, Simpliconnect...) & external (e.g. Gemco MPN, Westpac SimplicConnect...) and LinkedIn posts promoting OBS solutions & services.
Measurement Grow Pipeline: Qualified pipeline growth in H2 2024 > 500K Euro ;
Employee comment Significant growth in pipeline (>5m) with projects like SimpliConnect Westpac, MPN South32 Gemco, ServiceNow, BuildSmartt...
Objective name Good business Margin /Profitability
Objective description Maintain & grow profit margin on signed deals Measurement 100% of your regional deal's Service/Gross margin > 25% Due date 31/12/2024
Objective description Close IOT opportunities within ANZ
Objective name Grow: IOT Partner Ecosystem in ANZ
Objective description Identify, qualify and onboard new IOT partners solutions and respectively create GTM
Measurement 3 Partners onboarded, approved with respective GTM strategies
Employee comment IVIVA/Lucy for SmartBuildings, HPE/Athonet for MPN, Freshworks for ITSM, Webbing for Simpliconnect
a) Brand Promotion & Marketing;
b) Grow Pipeline;
c) Good Business Margin / Profitability;
d) Revenue; and
e) Orders book
Commissioner: Just let me ask this question of you, Mr Afzal. If you are pointing to this particular objective, to grow IOT partner, would you accept the proposition that, even if that was an engineering function, that the task that relates to that particular objective are not the primary or principal purpose of your role?
Mr Afzal: The primary and principal is to sell, right. However, to do that work effectively, you need to bring a product because what may happen, Mr Commissioner, is that if you qualify a bad product as good because of your poor assessment down the road, the work you have done is in vain and you do not achieve your target. So it is a foundation. Engineering to me is the foundation for this work.
Whether the sum of Mr Afzal's annual rate of earnings, and such other amounts (if any) worked out in relation to the person in accordance with the regulations, is less than the high income threshold (section 382(b)(iii))
[72] For the reasons set out above and having regard to the relevant statutory context, we are of the view that a car allowance should be treated in the following way for the purpose of calculating an employee's "annual rate of earnings" within the meaning of ss.332 and 382(b)(iii) of the Act:
(a) If a car allowance is paid to an employee in circumstances in which there is no requirement or expectation that the employee will have to use his or her car for work purposes, then the whole of the car allowance is, in reality, part of the employee's wages and is therefore included in their "earnings"; or
(b) If a car allowance is paid to an employee at the time of their dismissal in circumstances in which there is a requirement or expectation that the employee will have to use his or her car for work purposes, then it will be necessary to determine and calculate the private benefit, if any, derived by the employee from the car allowance. To that end, we suggest the following methodology, which is based on the approach taken in Fewings:
21.1 In addition to your Base Salary, you will be paid a car allowance on a monthly basis subject to applicable Company policies. You must ensure the availability and maintenance of a vehicle that is suitable for the position held by you.
21.2 It is expected that, if required, you can demonstrate that you have spent this allowance on work related vehicle expenses. Car allowance will only continue to be paid to you where, in the Company's opinion, you require the vehicle to fulfil the normal duties of your position.
21.3 If, at the absolute discretion of the Company, the employee's role ceases to require the use of a vehicle or changes, the Company may cease to pay the employee car allowance.
21.4 You will be entitled to take out a Novated Vehicle Lease, through the Company's chosen fleet leasing partner. However, it is important to recognise that in entering into such a lease agreement, any and all liabilities arising out of this arrangement remain with you as an individual and will continue to remain in force following any cessation of your employment, either at the initiation of you, or at the initiation of the Company. Any cost of the Novated Vehicle Lease (including the cost of the vehicle, maintenance and fuel costs) will be deducted from your Base Salary and Car Allowance on a salary sacrifice basis.
Please contact the Human Resources Department for more information.
[2] Kestrel Coal Pty Limited v Odette Lennox [2025] FWCFB 114 at [10].
[3] Exhibit A5, Digital Hearing Book (DHB), page 21.
[7] Annexure GW-3 to Exhibit R1, DHB, pages 96 - 97.
[8] Annexure GW-1 to Exhibit R1, DHB, pages 76 - 93.
[11] Exhibit A5, DHB page 22, and Respondent's Submissions dated 20 May 2025, DHB page 53.
Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer
Mr Junaid Afzal
Orange Business Services Australia Pty Ltd [2025] FWC 1968