Legal

The Albanese Labor Government has introduced the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023  (the Bill) to Parliament which will significantly amend the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).  The National Retail Association has published a detailed factsheet unpacking the proposed changes in the “Closing Loopholes” Bill that members can access for FREE...

In a further significant development in the industrial relations arena, the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) announced on Friday that it will be reviewing seven commonly used modern awards. The announcement follows correspondence from the Hon. Tony Burke MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to Adam Hatcher, President...

Yesterday afternoon, the Albanese Labor Government introduced the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 (the Bill) to Parliament which will significantly amend the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). The National Retail Association is committed to assisting and supporting our valued members and will be reviewing the Bill and...

In a timely reminder about wage compliance, the Fair Work Ombudsman has recently persuaded a court to hold a director personally liable for underpayments made to staff. This case serves as a reminder that those who make executive decisions that result in contraventions of minimum conditions, may be held...

Since the passage of the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022 (Act), employers have been grappling with how they can meet their duty to proactively prevent sexual harassment. The Act introduced a positive duty on employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate unlawful...

As a manager or human resources professional in the retail or quick service sectors, managing employee performance can easily fall by the wayside amongst the hustle and bustle of day-to-day operations. In many cases, poor performance will fester because employees have not been made aware of their poor performance issues,...

The entitlement to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave (FDV Leave) has now been extended to small business. Effective from 1 August 2023, small businesses must ensure that they are complying with their obligation to provide up to 10 days paid FDV Leave to their employees...

In the ordinary course of events, once an employee communicates their resignation to an employer, and the employer accepts the resignation, it is generally considered final, and the employee usually cannot retract it if they change their mind. But what happens if an employee resigns out of anger or frustration...

Employers in Victoria have until 11 August 2023 to destroy any COVID-19 Vaccination information they have recorded or held under the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccination Information) Regulations 2022 (the Regulations). Following the removal of vaccination requirements contained in “pandemic orders”, the regulations, which came in place on...

Of all employment types, part-time employment is the category with a notorious reputation for being inflexible and includes intricacies that, if not watched carefully, can catch employers out with unforeseen consequences. Consider this example, and how you would deal with this situation in your business: Jessie calls in sick the...

While we may only be halfway through the year, it is generally time to start planning for seasonal periods and how to best cover increased staffing needs. The general solution businesses turn to is enforcing blackout periods for their permanent staff and engaging casuals to cover the busy months....

Minimum wage increase – The Fair Work Commission will raise the National Minimum Wage to $882.80 per week or $23.23 per hour, along with a 5.75% increase to minimum award wages. The new rates will apply to affected workers starting from the first full pay period on or after 1...

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 valid explanation. While it may seem straightforward to conclude that an employee has indeed abandoned their employment, businesses...

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, empowering businesses to effectively tackle the complexities of illness management in the workplace. Sending employees home If an employee...

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 the investigation and to be able to confidently rely upon its outcomes in taking disciplinary action. To...