Articles
Cheers and Fears – Planning your end of year function
It’s getting to that time of year again when employers hold their annual end of year event. Generally at these events staff get together to eat drink and have a good time. Remember, the traditional employer organised end of year function is a work event. All of us...
‘Requesting’ Employees to Work Public Holidays
On 28 March 2023, the Full Federal Court delivered a decision in Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union v OS MCAP Pty Ltd [2023] FCAFC 51 (the Full Federal Court Decision) which had significant impacts for all employers who operate on public...
Corresponding with employees who have made bullying allegations
In July 2023, Commissioner Hunt of the Fair Work Commission handed down her written reasons in the matter of Application by Lindsay Rosenblum [2023] FWC 1640. Commissioner Hunt’s decision granted Ms Rosenblum interim orders preventing the Employer from taking any...
Case in Focus: Murtagh v Corporation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba [2023] FCAFC 172
On Tuesday 30 October 2023, the Full Bench of the Federal Court of Australia handed down a decision which may have consequences for employers who have negotiated enterprise agreements, requiring back payment. The Facts Mr Murtagh was employed by the Roman Catholic...
Myth: If I have a written employment contract with an employee, I don’t need to worry about the award, it doesn’t apply.
Myth: If I have a written employment contract with an employee, I don’t need to worry about the award, it doesn’t apply. Busted: This is not orrect – if an award applies to a role, it’s the industrial instrument for that role. An award sets out the minimum terms and...
Changes to Flexible Working Arrangement Provisions in the Fair Work Act 2009
Amendments to requests for flexible working arrangements took effect on 6 June 2023 as part of the suite of changes introduced by the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs Better Pay) Act 2032 (Cth). In summary, those changes include the broadening of the...
What do the new Pay Secrecy Provisions in the Fair Work Act mean for employment contracts?
On 6 December 2022, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs Better Pay) Act 2002 (Cth) passed through Federal Parliament resulting in a number of amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (the FW Act). Amongst other changes, the amendments to the FW Act now...
Annual Wage Review 2023
On Friday, 2 June 2023, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) announced the outcome of the 2022-23 Annual Wage Review. Overall, the FWC increased modern award wages by 5.75% effective from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2023. This comes in addition...
The End of JobKeeper = Challenges for Employers – Part 1
Since March 2020 employers have faced mounting challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As JobKeeper 2.0 has now come to an end (28 March 2021) we thought it timely to address some questions that may arise for employers. The initial JobKeeper scheme certainly...
Should Employees be Rewarded Beyond their Wages?
Let’s face it a disgruntled workforce leads to an unpleasant workplace, which in turn is likely to result in lower productivity and disharmony. Employees who feel undervalued, will, no matter how loyal, eventually leave. So, how can employers celebrate employees’...
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