The combination of social media and a holiday atmosphere makes the festive season a particularly dangerous time of year for employers, warranting "extra care" on their part, says Holding Redlich special counsel Trent Taylor.
The model Work Health and Safety laws now in force in most Australian jurisdictions place new duties on HR professionals, exposing them to areas of personal liability and other risks that can't be ignored. Watch this webcast to understand:
The extent of WHS duties for HR professionals under the model Act;
Who the law considers an "officer" and what their responsibilities entail;
Areas where HR professionals and other senior staff face personal liability risks;
Steps HR professionals can take to ensure decisions that affect safety are defensible;
HR's role in meeting consultation requirements to employees and others; and
Particular issues in relation to psychological injury risks.
There are plenty of reasons to engage a worker as a contractor as opposed to an employee, but the fact that someone expresses a preference for being a contractor isn't one of them, says HR Business Direction's Melissa Fitzpatrick.
What steps can an employer take when a worker takes personal leave immediately after a performance management discussion? Can organisations ask employees with exhausted personal leave entitlements to see a doctor? Here, an employment lawyer answers these questions and more.
Anti-bullying material released by the Fair Work Commission provides much-needed clarity around the new laws, and what is considered bullying and reasonable management action, says employment lawyer Lesley Maclou.
HR departments too often fail to take a risk-management approach to decisions affecting people, exposing themselves to potential liability under the model work health and safety laws, according to safety and employment lawyer Fiona Austin.
In this 15-minute podcast, employment lawyer Kristin Duff (Ramsey) answers 13 questions from subscribers about employment contracts, in relation to probation periods, changes to remuneration packaging, terminating fixed-term contracts, employment offers and more.
Performance reviews and disciplinary processes that can withstand outside scrutiny will become even more critical when the Fair Work anti-bullying regime comes into force next year, according to DLA Piper partner Murray Procter.
Some employers have successfully stepped up to the task of managing psychosocial safety, but in many other workplaces, initiatives are falling flat. Join us for an HR Daily webinar to understand what's holding back progress in this critical space and how to move forward.
