Regis Aged Care Pty Ltd

Case [2025] FWCA 1141


[2025] FWCA 1141

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185 - Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement

Regis Aged Care Pty Ltd

(AG2025/19)

REGIS AGED CARE, ANMF SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND UNITED WORKERS UNION ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2024

Aged care industry

COMMISSIONER TRAN

MELBOURNE, 3 APRIL 2025

Application for approval of the Regis Aged Care, ANMF South Australia and United Workers Union Enterprise Agreement 2024

  1. Regis Aged Care Pty Ltd (ACN: 125223645) has applied for approval of an enterprise agreement known as Regis Aged Care, ANMF South Australia and United Workers Union Enterprise Agreement 2024 under s 185 of the Fair Work Act 2009.

  1. The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. I note clause 6(a) of the Agreement, which gives precedence to the NES and am satisfied that the more beneficial entitlements of the NES will prevail where there is an inconsistency between the Agreement and the NES.

  1. The Employer has provided written undertakings. I am satisfied that the undertakings will not cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement and that the undertakings will not result in substantial changes to the Agreement.

  1. Subject to the undertakings referred to above, I am satisfied that each requirement of ss186, 187 and 188 as are relevant to this application for approval have been met. The undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. The United Workers’ Union (UWU) and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) lodged Form F18 statutory declarations giving notice under s 183 of the Act that they want the Agreement to cover them. In accordance with s 201(2) of the Act, I note the Agreement covers the unions.

  1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s 54 of the Act, will operate from 10 April 2025.

  1. In accordance with clause 7(a), the nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 1 February 2027.

Variation under s 218A

  1. Section 218A of the Act allows the Commission to correct or amend obvious errors, defects or irregularities. It is a discretionary power, and the Commission must first be satisfied that the identified errors or amendments sought are obvious errors, defects or irregularities.

  1. I determined to vary the Agreement after the applicant identified typographical/cross-referencing errors in the clause reference numbers found in the “ALLOWANCE RATES” table in Appendix 1.

  1. The Applicant provided an amended copy of the Agreement, with only the amendments identified above.

  1. I am satisfied that the amendments should be made and that it is appropriate to do so in accordance with s 218A. The variation will operate from the date the Agreement commences.

  1. The Agreement attached to this Decision is the Agreement as varied and will operate from 10 April 2025. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement as varied is 1 February 2027.

COMMISSIONER

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APPENDIX A

Details
AGLC
Regis Aged Care Pty Ltd [2025] FWCA 1141
Case
[2025] FWCA 1141
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia considered an application for approval of an enterprise agreement between Regis Aged Care Pty Ltd and two unions, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (South Australia Branch) and the United Workers Union. The agreement sought to establish the terms and conditions of employment for workers in the aged care sector.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the proposed enterprise agreement complied with the requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009. The court needed to assess if the agreement was a "single, clear and whole" document, if it met the "better off overall test" and if it was free from prohibited content. Specifically, the court examined if the agreement provided for a fair and reasonable balance of employees' and employers' interests, and if it contained any terms that were contrary to public policy or were otherwise unlawful.

The court found that the proposed enterprise agreement met all the statutory requirements. It was a single, clear and whole document, provided for a fair and reasonable balance of the parties' interests, and passed the better off overall test. The court also confirmed that the agreement did not contain any terms that were contrary to public policy or were otherwise unlawful. The court was satisfied that the agreement provided for appropriate safeguards and protections for employees in the aged care sector.

The court approved the Regis Aged Care, ANMF South Australia and United Workers Union Enterprise Agreement 2024. The agreement will now apply to the relevant employees and employers, setting out the terms and conditions of their employment.

Orders

Orders of the court

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Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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