In the realm of workplace relations, the expression ‘abandonment of employment’ has become synonymous with situations whereby an employee abruptly ceases to attend work for an extended period of time, without a ...

As winter and the cold and flu season arrive, employers should be aware on how to appropriately manage employee absences. This article aims to provide practical insights and solutions to common questions, ...

Come Wednesday 7 June 2023, businesses will be expected to have adopted the changes relating to pay secrecy, flexible working arrangements and employee notification of zombie agreements as a part of the ...

Workplace investigations can be timely and complex. From undertaking initial enquiries to undertaking witness interviews, it is important to ensure that a procedurally fair process is undertaken to maintain the integrity of ...

State workplace health and safety regulators have the power to issue improvement notices to businesses they believe have contravened, or are contravening, the State’s workplace health and safety legislation. It is important ...

As the job market remains competitive and top talent hard to find, organisations are finding it more challenging to fill leadership positions with suitable candidates. Instead of looking to external sources, many ...

As the federal government are undertaking consultations about criminalising underpayments of wages, which includes provisions for not keeping records or keeping false or inaccurate records, employers should be conscious of their record-keeping ...

If an employee has brought a claim, such as an unfair dismissal or general protections claim, employers are faced with the decision of attempting to defend the claim themselves or getting an ...

As most business owners and HR professionals would be aware, the hallmark of any compliant workplace investigation or disciplinary proceeding is ensuring ‘procedural fairness’. Affording procedural fairness to an employee includes, among ...

As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure the health and safety of your employees, not just in terms of physical health, but also in terms of mental health. An area ...

In conjunction with many other allowances that employees may be entitled to, ‘special clothing’ and laundry allowances can be confusing and often overlooked by businesses. In many instances, employers fall into the ...

Redundancy is a complex process that requires careful consideration and planning. Redundancies can be difficult for both employers and employees, and if not managed properly, can result in negative outcomes such as ...

Last week many organisations around the country celebrated International Women’s Day, however statistics show that there is still plenty of work to do to achieve true gender parity. The Workplace Gender Equality ...

Western Australia’s WorkSafe regulator (WorkSafe), the State’s body tasked with enforcing the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) (Act), has laid charges under the Act for the first time against a ...

The retail and fast food sectors are some of the largest employers of junior employees in Australia. However, additional obligations are imposed on businesses engaging employees under the age of 18. While ...

Following the passage of the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Act 2022 (the Act) in November last year, 1 February 2023 marks the day many employees become entitled ...

With the passing of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022, a 12-month timer has begun on all ‘zombie’ enterprise agreements. What is a ‘zombie’ agreement? A zombie ...

As of 1 September 2022, the annualised wage arrangement provisions under the Restaurant Award 2020 (Restaurant Award) and the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (Hospitality Award) (collectively, the Awards) have been tightened, ...

Since our November article here on the Fair Work Commission’s new ‘Stop Sexual Harassment’ jurisdiction, the Federal and some State governments have announced that they will be taking steps to act on ...

Upon commencement of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Act), the Fair Work Commission (Commission) was directed to undertake a 4-yearly review of all modern awards to ensure that they were meeting ...

In the recent decision of Fair Work Ombudsman v Delishesco Pty Ltd,[1] the Federal Circuit and Family Court has handed a Brisbane restaurant over $355,000 in penalties for ‘serious contraventions’ of the ...

When disaster strikes and business is suspended or employees can’t get to work, multiple employment entitlements are impacted. In this article, we wrap up some of the most frequently asked questions and ...

In certain circumstances, franchisors can be held legally responsible for conduct of their franchisees that breaches workplace laws under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Fair Work Act). Not every franchise arrangement ...

Following the recent Federal election, the new Labor government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to introduce a raft of changes to workplace laws in Australia. Going into the election, Labor’s ...

Unpaid family and domestic violence leave has been a feature of the National Employment Standards since 2018. Arising from the Fair Work Commission’s 4-yearly review of modern awards, the Australian Council of ...

In the current climate surrounding Covid-19, employers have sought to comply with ever changing health directions, and to safeguard their workplaces, by enacting vaccination policies and requirements. Where some employees have failed ...

This evening, the Islamic holy month of Ramadan will commence, to end on the evening of 1 May 2022. During Ramadan, practicing Muslims will abstain from food or drink, including water, from ...