HR and recruitment managers should bear in mind "what a judge would think" before blithely rejecting job applicants who "fail" inherent requirements tests, a workplace relations lawyer says.
The low prevalence of paid maternity leave in female-dominated industries shows "there is more work to be done" on gender equality in Australia, says Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick.
Employers that fail to make "reasonable adjustments" for stress-affected employees returning to work could face discrimination claims, an employment lawyer warns, and improving communication streams, according to a business lecturer, is pivotal.
A new Australian Standard of Employment Rights gives employers and workers a benchmark against which to measure the industrial relations health of their workplace, says University of Sydney professor of labour law, Ron McCallum.
Policies prohibiting workplace love are untenable, an organisational psychologist says, but employers can take steps to prevent romantic relationships from stifling productivity or ending in a harassment claim.
The Fair Work Act allows for greater union involvement in the workplace, an IR lawyer says, and smart employers are fostering positive relationships with employees and their representatives in an effort to cement long-term growth.
Fair Work Australia's first good faith bargaining order should spur employers to put more thought and preparation into negotiations than was necessary under the old legislation, according to an employment lawyer.
An alternative mediation technique might be more suitable for resolving workplace conflicts than traditional problem-solving approaches, says Livingstones Australia principal consultant, Katy Russell.
Changes to disability discrimination laws and other human rights legislation that take effect next week will make it easier for aggrieved employees to establish they were discriminated against, a workplace relations lawyer warns.
The "adverse action" provisions under the new industrial relations legislation will compel employers to be more cautious when making decisions that affect employees, according to workplace lawyer Alex Manos.
General protections claims are the fastest-growing category of applications in the Fair Work Commission, with reforms now underway to stem the tide. This webinar will discuss important developments in both procedural issues and case law.
