Employment Justice – Briefing Paper Series

Elderly woman with a care worker

The QUT Centre for Justice Briefing Paper Series provides short, accessible, peer-reviewed accounts of topics and issues related to justice.

In collaboration with the Centre for Decent Work and Industry, the QUT Centre for Justice have released a series of Briefing Papers on Employment Justice. Each of the Briefing Papers is available online as a PDF file:

Employment Justice Briefing Papers

Care work in the gig economy

Digitally mediated care work is a growing segment of the service sector in Australia in the context of increasing demand for personalisation of care and an ageing population. Yet little is known about the experiences of care workers in the gig economy. The growing number of care platforms in Australia indicates a need to better understand the lived experiences of those offering care services via platforms and the implications for the care economy. This briefing paper summarises the key findings from interviews with care workers using platforms to organise care work.

Care work in the gig economy, Issue 50, May 2024 – Maria Hameed Khan, Penny Williams, Robyn Mayes, Paula McDonald and Jannine Williams


Terms and conditions of digital labour platforms: Unfair contractual control?

In the gig economy, there is generally a client who requires the service, a worker willing to perform the service, and a digital platform connecting the two parties. To be connected, both workers and clients must accept and adhere to the platform’s terms and conditions. This
briefing paper presents findings from a detailed review of the terms and conditions of digital platforms. We show how and when, compared against examples provided in the Australian Consumer Law, some digital platform terms are potentially unfair. We also examine how contractual terms are used as a means to attract, manage, and control workers on platforms.

Terms and conditions of digital labour platforms: Unfair contractual control?, Issue 49, May 2024 – Penny Williams, Paula McDonald, Andrew Stewart and Robyn Mayes


Automated management in work and employment

As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, automated decision-making is replacing human decisions about work, management and employment issues. This Briefing Paper draws on research, media sources and legal cases relating to automated work and employment to investigate the implications of this broad transformation to the digital management of work. Three dimensions of work and employment are discussed where digital management is already having a significant impact: recruitment and selection, task allocation and measuring productivity. The types, capacities and impacts of automated technologies are examined.

Automated management in work and employment, Issue 48, May 2024 – Paula McDonald, Melinda Laundon and Penny Williams

Share content via social media

X