Fair Work Commission vice-president Michael Lawler does not appear to have breached any Commonwealth laws by secretly recording conversations with his boss, a barrister and legal academic says.

In a startling admission for a quasi-judicial figure to make, Mr Lawler admitted to Four Corners that for years he secretly recorded his conversations with Fair Work president Iain Ross, so he "could clear his name when the time came".

Mr Lawler has been criticised for taking extensive sick leave from his $430,000 a year post while working on his union whistleblower partner Kathy Jackson's legal case.

That sick leave has amounted to nine months since May last year and many have called for his dismissal.

Mr Ross declined to comment on the recordings but Mr Lawler said they were lawful as they were a "protection of his legal interests".

Geoff Holland, a barrister and legal academic at the University of Technology Sydney, said although Mr Lawler may not have breached any Commonwealth laws, it could be different when it came to state anti-surveillance laws.

"For example, in New South Wales it's an offence to not only record private conversations but to actually possess a record of a private conversation," the barrister said.

"It's an offence to keep it, say as a tape, and it's an offence to publish it."

According to Mr Lawler, one of the 60 or so conversations that was recorded was proof that he was given permission to take as much sick leave as he needed.

Iain Ross: I think um, your health is the first priority and there's no, um ... I mean I'll take responsibility for any amounts of sick leave you, you seek, there's no cap or anything like that. Michael Lawler: Oh no no no I understand there's no cap on it.

Federal Labor MP Jim Chalmers described Mr Lawler's appearance on the program as "bizarre".

Mr Chalmers said it puts the spotlight on government ministers who have supported Ms Jackson in the past.

"The only thing that comes to mind for me is that Christopher Pyne stood up in Parliament time after time and defended Kathy Jackson," he said.

"So, Christopher Pyne's credibility is at much at stake as Kathy Jackson and Michael Lawler in this whole sorry episode."

Lawler says Jackson is the victim of a conspiracy

Mr Lawler also revealed he was the impetus behind Ms Jackson blowing the whistle on union corruption inside the Health Services Union (HSU) and that he helped organise a private investigator to look into the conduct of Craig Thomson and Michael Williams.

Ms Jackson, now the subject of a criminal investigation, was appealing a civil finding against her that ordered her to repay $1.4 million to the HSU.

Sorry, this video has expired 'I am going to make some allegations that are ... sensational': Michael Lawler

Mr Lawler stood by his partner, saying she was the victim of a conspiracy.

But he did admit that some of her financial dealings at the union were suspicious.

"There are a number of transactions that have been discovered that are, prima facie, crooked and need an explanation," Mr Lawler told Four Corners.

The pressure is mounting on both sides of the political fence to take action.

Grace Collier, an industrial relations expert and a columnist for News Limited, said the Government had dragged its feet because Mr Lawler was originally appointed by Tony Abbott in 2002.

"Michael Lawler is Tony Abbott's appointee and for that reason they should have dealt with this," Ms Collier said.

"They should have dealt with this a long time ago."

The Federal Government yesterday appointed former Federal Court judge Peter Heerey QC to investigate the complaints against Mr Lawler.

Mr Lawler can only be dismissed through a motion passed by Parliament.