Section 163 — Fair Work Act 2009: Special criteria relating to changing coverage of modern awards

Special rule about reducing coverage (1) The FWC must not make a determination varying a modern award so that certain employers or employees stop being covered by the award unless the FWC is satisfied that they will instead become covered by another modern award (other than the miscellaneous modern award) that is appropriate for them. Special rule about making a modern award (2) The FWC must not make a modern award covering certain employers or employees unless the FWC has considered whether it should, instead, make a determination varying an existing modern award to cover them. Special rule about covering organisations (3) The FWC must not make a modern award, or make a determination varying a modern award, so that an organisation becomes covered by the award, unless the organisation is entitled to represent the industrial interests of one or more employers or employees who are or will be covered by the award. The miscellaneous modern award (4) The miscellaneous modern award is the modern award that is expressed to cover employees who are not covered by any other modern award.