The media frenzy surrounding a fashion retailer's controversial code of conduct is just one of the risks employers face when they have obscure or onerous workplace policies, warns a lawyer.
A company that funded an employee's work trip was entitled to dismiss him over misbehaviour that occurred while he was away, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
Complaints against company heads put HR professionals in the tricky position of investigating the person they usually receive instructions from, so "you need to be a bit careful about how you play it", warns a specialist lawyer.
Do you know which policies, procedures and contracts need reviewing, in light of recent legislative and case law developments? Watch this webcast to understand how the employment law landscape has changed in relation to bullying, adverse action, employment contracts, investigations and more.
An employer that failed to comply with its own harassment policy must pay damages to an employee, but according to an employment law specialist, the liability should have been a simple one to avoid.
This year has been an exceptionally challenging one for HR professionals. The new anti-bullying jurisdiction kicked off; social media evolution outpaced the development of associated workplace policies and responses; and there was no shortage of new case law on everything from unfair dismissal to restraint clauses.
A boss who engaged in "intolerable, disgraceful and dishonourable" conduct when he s-xually harassed a female trainee has had his penalty reduced, after an appeal court agreed it was "manifestly excessive".
Employers that initially fail to deal with social media misuse in the workplace could be waiving their right to address that misconduct at a later date, warns an employment lawyer.
Employers can't expect workers who have experienced s-xual harassment to make formal reports, but they can encourage "bystander intervention" to identify - and prevent - unacceptable behaviour, the University of Wollongong's Dr Michael Flood told a seminar this week.
An executive has been ordered to pay some of the costs her employer incurred in defending her high-profile adverse action claim, after the Federal Court found her allegations of s-xual misconduct were unreasonable.
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.