Court dismisses stood down Qantas staff's sick leave bid
A Federal Court judge has dismissed a union-led bid to have Qantas workers paid sick leave during the coronavirus crisis.
Some 20,000-odd Qantas workers stood down in mid-March have been able to legally access some entitlements including annual leave but they've been prevented from accessing sick, carers and compassionate leave.
The company's position on Monday was backed by Justice Geoffrey Flick.
He agreed with Qantas that the stand-down power served two important purposes: offering businesses financial relief and protecting workers from termination.
Allowing staff to access sick leave while lawfully stood down because there is no work would "go against the very object and purpose of conferring those entitlements - namely an entitlement to be relieved from the work which the employee was otherwise required to perform", Justice Flick said.
AAP