In taking steps to minimise Christmas-related risks, employers should bear in mind it's often clients, not staff, who create the biggest headaches for HR, an employment lawyer warns.
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.
Every HR professional should understand the key terms in employment contracts, when to review and vary them, and how contracts interact with legislation, industrial instruments and workplace policies. Watch this webcast to ensure you're across these areas.
As the Fair Work Commission's anti-bullying regime starts to take shape, an industrial barrister has compiled a list of 13 issues employers should consider when preparing to defend a claim.
Confusion about how long an organisation should retain a sick or injured employee who's unable to work could be stopping many employers from lawfully terminating absent staff, according to lawyers from Hicksons' workplace relations group.
Smartphone technology has made it relatively easy for employees to secretly record disciplinary or performance conversations, says Ashurst Australia partner Marie-Claire Foley, who warns that unlawfully obtained evidence can be admissible in court.
Court rulings show how important it is to draft contracts clearly, and to include simple clauses that can protect organisations from expensive litigation, but many employers still haven't learned the lessons, says Hynes Legal associate director, Kristin Duff.
Costly legal disputes continue to highlight the many risks employers face when managing, disciplining, or dismissing employees while they are absent, injured or incapacitated. Attend this webinar for an up-to-date review of the legal framework applying to workplace absenteeism, injury and incapacity, and lessons from recent case law.
