Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) Proceedings are to be dealt with as small claims proceedings under this section if:
(a) a person applies for an order (other than a pecuniary penalty order) under Division 2 from a magistrates court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2); and
(b) the order relates to an amount referred to in subsection (1A); and
(c) the person indicates, in a manner prescribed by the regulations or by the rules of the court, that he or she wants the small claims procedure to apply to the proceedings.
(1A) The amounts are as follows:
(a) an amount that an employer was required to pay to, or on behalf of, an employee:
(i) under this Act or a fair work instrument; or
(ii) because of a safety net contractual entitlement; or
(iii) because of an entitlement of the employee arising under subsection 542(1);
(b) an amount that an outworker entity was required to pay to, or on behalf of, an outworker under a modern award.
(1B) Proceedings are also to be dealt with as small claims proceedings under this section if:
(a) a person applies for an order (other than a pecuniary penalty order) under Division 2 from a magistrates court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) in connection with a dispute relating to one or more of the following matters:
(v) whether a person has contravened subsection 333E(1) (limitations on fixed term contracts);
(vi) whether subsection 333G(1) (effect of entering prohibited fixed term contract) applies in relation to a contract; and
(b) the person applying for the order indicates, in a manner prescribed by the regulations or by the rules of the court, that he or she wants the small claims procedure to apply to the proceedings.
(1C) Proceedings are also to be dealt with as small claims proceedings under this section if:
(a) a person applies for an order (other than a pecuniary penalty order) under Division 2 from a magistrates court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) in connection with a dispute; and
(b) the dispute relates to whether a person was a casual employee of an employer when the person commenced employment with that employer; and
(c) the person applying for the order indicates, in a manner prescribed by the regulations or by the rules of the court, that the person wants the small claims procedure to apply to the proceedings.
Note: Orders that a court may make under Division 2 in relation to small claims proceedings under this subsection may include a declaration that the employee was a casual employee, a part - time employee or a full - time employee when the employee commenced employment with the employer.
Limits on award
(2) In small claims proceedings, the court may not award more than:
(a) $100,000; or
(b) if a higher amount is prescribed by the regulations--that higher amount.
(2A) Interest awarded under section 547 does not count towards the maximum amount that the court may award under subsection (2) of this section.
Procedure
(3) In small claims proceedings, the court is not bound by any rules of evidence and procedure and may act:
(a) in an informal manner; and
(b) without regard to legal forms and technicalities.
(4) At any stage of the small claims proceedings, the court may amend the papers commencing the proceedings if sufficient notice is given to any party adversely affected by the amendment.
Legal representation
(5) A party to small claims proceedings may be represented in the proceedings by a lawyer only with the leave of the court.
(6) If the court grants leave for a party to the proceedings to be represented by a lawyer, the court may, if it considers appropriate, do so subject to conditions designed to ensure that no other party is unfairly disadvantaged.
(7) For the purposes of this section, a person is taken not to be represented by a lawyer if the lawyer is an employee or officer of the person.
Representation by an industrial association
(8) The regulations may provide for a party to small claims proceedings to be represented in the proceedings, in specified circumstances, by an official of an industrial association.
(9) However, if small claims proceedings are heard in a court of a State, the regulations may so provide only if the law of the State allows a party to be represented in that court in those circumstances by officials of bodies representing interests related to the matters in dispute.
Costs for filing fees paid in relation to the proceedings
(10) If the court makes an order (the small claims order ) mentioned in subsection (1) against a party to small claims proceedings, the court may make an order as to costs against the party for any filing fees paid to the court by the party that applied for the small claims order.
(11) Subsection (10) applies despite section 570.