Qantas loses bid to use jobkeeper subsidy to soak up larger portion of wages bill

Qantas has lost a bid to use the jobkeeper wage subsidy to soak up a larger portion of its wages bill by topping up a worker’s pay on a monthly – rather than fortnightly – basis. The Fair Work Commission ruled on Friday it was unreasonable for Qantas to pay a manager just $3,000 a month – the level of the jobkeeper subsidy – while also gaining the benefit of his labour. Instead, the airline has been directed to top up the worker’s pay to $1,500 every fortnight, which would prevent it using the subsidy in a fortnight work was not performed to pay for weeks it was, ending a bid to capture hundreds of dollars more of the subsidy. The Australian Services Union seized on the decision to argue that hundreds of workers at the airline have been underpaid but the company has not conceded the point, arguing it is “at odds” with jobkeeper rules and has no wider application. In April the ASU had complained to Qantas that it was inappropriate to use the jobkeeper payment for one fortnight to pay for penalty rates accrued in the preceding fortnight. In a dispute taken to the commission, planning and engagement manager Mathew Mazzitelli argued he had been shortchanged because he is paid monthly. Story has more details.<br/>