“Over 55 and too tired to commute? Two Fair Work decisions reshape work-from-home rights in” — what this page in the network covers. Two recent Fair Work Commission decisions highlight a growing legal recognition of fatigue and age in workplace flexibility disputes. In July, the commission rejected a request by Steven Polak, a full-time council employee over 55, to reduce his office days from two to one, despite his argument that work-related fatigue was worsened by commuting. The ruling underscored that age alone does not guarantee accommodation, but it also exposed the tension between outdated management cultures and the physical realities of older workers.
The decisions matter because they set precedents for how Australian employers must consider individual circumstances, including health and stamina, when evaluating flexible work requests. For employees over 55, the cases signal that while age is a factor, evidence of genuine fatigue linked to work conditions is crucial. This listing links straight to the original page, where the content is available in full.