The new workplace laws coming into effect next week will facilitate a "maturing" of collective bargaining in Australia and require employers to be much more sophisticated in their approach to negotiations, according to workplace lawyer Chris Gardner.
From 1 July union officials will have the power to enter premises on suspicion of a workplace breach regardless of whether or not the employees are union members or covered by a union-binding agreement, says Freehills partner Anthony Longland.
Proper investigation of workplace incidents and complaints can help protect employers against legal claims by employees, but many HR managers lack the skills to conduct them. Here, an employment lawyer and former police investigator explains how they're done.
HR managers must quickly determine what constitutes a "transfer of business" before the definition of transmission expands significantly next month, according to Deacons partner Sally Woodward.
A formal attendance management policy can help employers reduce absenteeism and alert them to the workplace factors that affect absence rates, according to a new report.
Preparing for the new IR regime gives employers the perfect opportunity to review and improve their performance-management processes - ensuring sustainability and protecting them from litigation, according to an employment lawyer.
Employers are taking steps to have new enterprise agreements approved as soon as possible to avoid the uncertainty that is likely to surround the better off overall test, or BOOT, when it comes into effect in January next year.
Many employers will be faced with a new battle to retain their best workers after the Federal Government announced plans to invest $22 billion of its 2009/10 budget in the nation's infrastructure, says Hewitt's Australia and New Zealand managing director, David Brown.
Under the paid parental leave (PPL) scheme set to start in 2011, employers will be pre-paid employees' entitlements to "avoid cash flow pressures", the federal government revealed in last night's budget announcements.
Employers can expect a sharp increase in requests for alternative working arrangements as new legislation aimed at employees with young kids "formalises" and "normalises" flexibility across the board, according to employment lawyer and consultant, Juliet Bourke.
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.
