Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ph5wq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T20:54:14.533Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Enrolling Non-State Actors to Improve Compliance with Minimum Employment Standards

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Tess Hardy*
Affiliation:
Melbourne Law School

Abstract

While the extent of employer non-compliance with minimum employment standards has yet to be decisively determined in Australia, there is evidence to suggest that it is both prevalent and persistent. This article draws on the scholarship emerging from the regulatory studies field to explore the underlying impulses and issues that may have led to this compliance gap. It considers how a more pluralistic and decentred understanding of regulation may improve compliance. This understanding is then applied to examine the various ways in which the federal labour inspectorate — the Fair Work Ombudsman — has sought to supplement and strengthen its existing compliance and enforcement mechanisms by harnessing or ‘enrolling’ non-state stakeholders, such as employer associations, trade unions, top-level firms and key individuals.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ansell, C., Gash, A. (2008) ‘Collaborative governance in theory and practice’, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(4), pp. 543571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arthurs, H. (2006) Fairness at Work: Federal Labour Standards for the 21st Century, Report to the Federal Labour Standards Review, Canada.Google Scholar
Ashenfelter, O., Smith, R. (1979) ‘Compliance with the minimum wage law’, Journal of Political Economy, 87(2), pp. 333350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ayres, I., Braithwaite, J. (1992) Responsive Regulation: Transcending the Deregulation Debate, First edition, Oxford University Press, New York.Google Scholar
Baccaro, L., Papadakis, K. (2009) ‘The downside of participatory—deliberative public administration’, Socio-Economic Review, 7(2), pp. 245276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bardach, E., Kagan, R. (1982) Going by the Book: The Problem of Regulatory Unreasonableness, Temple University Press, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Bennett, L. (1994) Making Labour Law in Australia: Industrial Relations, Politics and Law, Law Book Co, Sydney.Google Scholar
Black, J. (2002a) ‘Decentring regulation: Understanding the role of regulation and self regulation in a “post-regulatory” world’, Current Legal Problems, 54, pp. 103146.Google Scholar
Black, J. (2002b) ‘Mapping the contours of contemporary financial services regulation’, Journal of Corporate Law Studies, 2(2), pp. 253288.Google Scholar
Black, J. (2003) ‘Enrolling actors in regulatory systems: Examples from UK financial services regulation’, Public Law, Spring, pp. 6391.Google Scholar
Braithwaite, J., Makkai, T. (1994) ‘Trust and compliance’, Policing and Society, 4(1), pp. 112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Braithwaite, V., Murphy, K., Reinhart, M. (2007) ‘Taxation threat, motivational postures and responsive regulation’, Law and Policy, 29(1), pp. 137158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bray, M., Macneil, J. (2011) ‘Individualism, collectivism and the case of awards in Australia’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 53(2), pp. 149167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buchanan, J., Callus, R. (1993) ‘Efficiency and equity at work: The need for labour market regulation in Australia’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 35(4), pp. 515537.Google Scholar
Cockfield, S., Buttigieg, D., Jerrard, M., Rainnie, A. (2011) ‘Assessing the impact of employment regulation on the low-paid in Victoria’, Economic and Labour Relations Review, 22(2), pp. 131152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooney, S., Hardy, T., Howe, J. (2011) Off the radar? Detecting and inspecting non-compliance with minimum working conditions, paper presented at the Second Conference of the Regulating for Decent Work Network, Geneva, 6–8 July.Google Scholar
Cooper, R., Ellem, B., Briggs, C., van den Broek, D. (2009) ‘Anti-unionism, employer strategy, and the Australian state, 1996–2005’, Labour Studies Journal, 34(3), pp. 339362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Creighton, B. (2011) ‘A retreat from individualism? The Fair Work Act 2009 and the re-collectivisation of Australian labour law’, Industrial Law Journal, 40(2), pp. 116145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Burca, G., Scott, J. (eds) (2006) Law and New Governance in the EU and the US, Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland.Google Scholar
Ellem, B., Baird, M., Cooper, R., Lansbury, R. (2005) ‘“Work Choices”: Mythmaking at work’, Journal of Political Economy, 56, pp. 1331.Google Scholar
Estlund, C. (2010) Regoverning the Workplace: From Self-Regulation to Co-Regulation, Yale University Press, New Haven.Google Scholar
Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) (2009) Horticulture Industry Shared Compliance Campaign — Roundtable Minutes, 1 December.Google Scholar
Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) (2009–11a) Annual reports — various, available: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/publications/pages/annual-reports.aspx [accessed 1 February 2011].Google Scholar
Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) (2009–11b) Campaign reports — various, available: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/audits-and-campaigns/pages/default.aspx [accessed 1 October 2011].Google Scholar
Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) (2009–11c) Enforceable undertakings — various, available: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/legal/pages/enforceable-undertakings.aspx [accessed 1 October 2011].Google Scholar
Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) (2011) Proactive Compliance Deed — McDonalds Australia Limited, available: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/Documents/Proactive-Compliance-Deed-McDonalds-Aust-and-FWO.PDF [accessed 1 November, 2011].Google Scholar
Fairman, R., Yapp, C. (2005) ‘Enforced self-regulation, prescription, and conceptions of compliance within small businesses: The impact of enforcement’, Law & Policy, 27(4), pp. 491519.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fenwick, C., Howe, J. (2009) ‘Union security after Work Choices’ in Forsyth, A., Stewart, A. (eds) Fair Work: The New Workplace Laws and the Work Choices Legacy, Federation Press, Sydney, pp. 164185.Google Scholar
Fine, J., Gordon, J. (2010) ‘Strengthening labor standards enforcement through partnerships with workers' organizations’, Politics and Society, 38(4), pp. 552585.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freeman, J. (1998) ‘Collaborative governance in the administrative state’, UCLA Law Review, 45, pp. 197.Google Scholar
Freiberg, A. (2010) The Tools of Regulation, Federation Press, Sydney.Google Scholar
Gahan, P., Brosnan, P. (2006) ‘The repertoires of labour market regulation’ in Arup, C., Gahan, P., Howe, J., Johnstone, R., Mitchell, R., O'Donnell, A. (eds) Labour Law and Labour Market Regulation, Federation Press, Sydney, pp. 127146.Google Scholar
Goodwin, M., Maconachie, G. (2007) ‘Unpaid entitlement recovery in the federal industrial relations system: Strategy and outcomes 1952–95’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 49(4), pp. 523544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodwin, M., Maconachie, G. (2011) ‘Minimum labour standards enforcement in Australia: Caught in the crossfire?’, Economic and Labour Relations Review, 22(2), pp. 5580.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, B. (1989) Collaborating: Finding Common Ground for Multiparty Problems, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Gunningham, N., Grabosky, P. (1998) Smart Regulation: Designing Environmental Policy, Oxford University Press, New York.Google Scholar
Gunningham, N., Johnstone, R. (1999) Regulating Workplace Safety: Systems and Sanctions, Oxford University Press, New York.Google Scholar
Gunningham, N., Kagan, R., Thornton, D. (2003) Shades of Green: Business Regulation and Environment, Stanford University Press, Stanford.Google Scholar
Gunningham, N., Thornton, D., Kagan, R. (2005) ‘Motivating management: Corporate compliance in environmental protection’, Law & Policy, 27(2), pp. 289316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haines, F. (1997) Corporate Regulation: Beyond Punish and Persuade, Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Hancher, L., Moran, M. (1998) ‘In and out of the revolving door: Making sense of regulatory capture’ in Baldwin, R., Scott, C., Hood, C. (eds) A Reader on Regulation, Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Hardy, T. (2009) ‘A changing of the guard: Enforcement of workplace relations laws since Work Choices and beyond’ in Forsyth, A., Stewart, A. (eds) Fair Work: The New Workplace Laws and the Work Choices Legacy, Federation Press, Sydney.Google Scholar
Hardy, T., Howe, J. (2009) ‘Partners in enforcement? The new balance between government and trade union enforcement of employment standards in Australia’, Australian Journal of Labour Law, 23(3), pp. 306336.Google Scholar
Hardy, T., Howe, J. (2011) ‘Accountability and the Fair Work Ombudsman’, Australian Journal of Administrative Law, 18, pp. 127132.Google Scholar
Howe, J. (2006) ‘“Deregulation” of labour relations in Australia: Towards a more “centred” command and control model’ in Arup, C., Gahan, P., Howe, J., Johnstone, R., Mitchell, R., O'Donnell, A. (eds) Labour Law and Labour Market Regulation, Federation Press, Melbourne, pp. 147166.Google Scholar
Hutter, B., Jones, C. (2007) ‘From government to governance: External influences on business risk management’, Regulation and Governance, 1 (1), pp. 2745.Google Scholar
Interviews with Fair Work (FW) Inspectors and Managers (2010/2011) Interviews conducted for this study.Google Scholar
Isaac, J. (1989) ‘The Arbitration Commission: Prime mover or facilitator?’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 31(3), pp. 407427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnstone, R., Quinlan, M. (2006) ‘The OHS regulatory challenges posed by agency workers: Evidence from Australia’, Employee Relations, 28(3), pp. 273289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kagan, R. (2003) Adversarial Legalism: The American Way of Law, Harvard University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Kagan, R., Gunningham, N., Thornton, D. (2003) ‘Explaining corporate environmental performance: How does regulation matter?’, Law and Society Review, 37(1), pp. 5190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kagan, R., Scholz, J. (1984) ‘The “criminology of the corporation” and regulatory enforcement strategies’ in Hawkins, K., Manning, P. (eds) Enforcing Regulation, Kluwer-Nijhoff Publishing, Boston, pp. 5190.Google Scholar
Kraakman, R. (1986) ‘Gatekeepers: The anatomy of third party enforcement strategy’, Journal of Law, Economics and Organisation, 2(1), pp. 53104.Google Scholar
Lee, M. (2006) ‘Regulating enforcement of workers' entitlements in Australia: The new dimension of individualisation’, Labour and Industry, 17(1), pp. 4160.Google Scholar
Lobel, O. (2004) ‘The renew deal: The fall of regulation and the rise of governance’ Minnesota Law Review, 89, pp. 342470.Google Scholar
Lobel, O. (2005) ‘Interlocking regulatory and industrial relations: The governance of workplace safety’, Administrative Law Review, 57, pp. 10691151.Google Scholar
Lobel, O. (2006) ‘Governing occupational safety in the United States’ in de Burca, G., Scott, J. (eds) Law and New Governance in the EU and the US, Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland, pp. 274292.Google Scholar
Maconachie, G., Goodwin, M. (2008) Victimisation, inspection and workers' entitlements: Lessons not learnt?, paper presented at the Asia—Pacific Economic and Business History Conference, Melbourne, 13–15 February.Google Scholar
Murray, J. (2005) ‘The AIRC’s test case on work and family provisions: The end of dynamic regulatory change at the federal level?’, Australian Journal of Labour Law, 18(3), pp. 325343.Google Scholar
Nielsen, V., Parker, C. (2008) ‘To what extent do third parties influence business compliance?’ Journal of Law & Society, 35(3), pp. 309340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osborne, D., Gaebler, T. (1993) Reinventing Government: How the Entrepreneurial Spirit Is Transforming the Public Sector, Plume, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parker, C. (2002) The Open Corporation: Effective Self-Regulation and Democracy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parker, C. (2008) ‘The pluralization of regulation’, Theoretical Inquiries in Law, 9(2), pp. 348369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parker, C., Braithwaite, J. (2003) ‘Regulation’ in Cane, P., Tushnet, M. (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Legal Studies, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 119145.Google Scholar
Peetz, D. (2005) ‘Trend analysis of union membership’, Australian Journal of Labour Economics, 8(1), pp. 123.Google Scholar
Pope, A. (1711) An Essay on Criticism, Part 2, available: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/esycr10h.htm [accessed 1 November 2011].Google Scholar
Quinlan, M. (1998) ‘The implications of labour market restructuring in industrialised societies for occupational health and safety’, Economic and Industrial Democracy, 20(3), pp. 427–60.Google Scholar
Scott, C. (2001) ‘Analysing regulatory space: Fragmented resources and institutional design’, Public Law, Summer, pp. 329353.Google Scholar
Sheldon, P., Thornthwaite, L. (1999) Employer Associations and Industrial Relations Change: Catalysts or Captives?, Allen and Unwin, Sydney.Google Scholar
Todd, P. (2011) ‘Employer and employer association matters in 2010’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 53(3), pp. 353367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walters, D., Frick, K. (2000) ‘Worker participation and the management of occupational health and safety: Reinforcing or conflicting strategies?’ in Frick, K., Jensen, P. L., Quinlan, M., Wilthagen, T. (eds) Systematic Occupational Health and Safety Management: Perspectives on an International Development, Pergamon, Oxford, pp. 4365.Google Scholar
Weil, D. (1991) ‘Enforcing OSHA: The role of labor unions’, Industrial Relations, 30(1), pp. 2036.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weil, D. (2005) ‘Individual rights and collective agents: The role of old and new workplace institutions in the regulation of labor markets’ in Freeman, R., Hersch, J., Mishel, L. (eds) Emerging Labor Market Institutions for the Twenty-First Century, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 1344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weil, D. (2010) Improving Workplace Conditions through Strategic Enforcement, Report to the Wage and Hour Division, United States Department of Labor, May.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weil, D. (2011) ‘Enforcing labour standards in fissured workplaces: The US experience’, Economic and Labour Relations Review, 22(2), pp. 3354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weil, D., Pyles, A. (2005) ‘Why complain? Complaints, compliance and the problem of enforcement in the US workplace’, Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal, 27(1), pp. 5992.Google Scholar
Wilson, N. (2011a) Untitled paper presented at the Australian Industry Group — National PIR Group Conference, Canberra, 3 May.Google Scholar
Wilson, N. (2011b) The Fair Work Ombudsman — two years navigation and land within sight, paper presented at the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association National Convention, Perth, 8 October.Google Scholar
Winter, S., May, P. (2001) ‘Motivation for compliance with environmental regulations’, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 20(4), pp. 675698.CrossRefGoogle Scholar