Organisations in the process of updating employment contracts need to be aware of six potential traps that could land them in legal trouble, say Kemp Strang employment lawyers.
Employers with outdated superannuation practices could be under-paying employees and exposing themselves to hefty fines, says Mercer's head of defined contribution consulting, Russell Mason.
With the holiday season approaching, employers need to beware that if they grant employees leave in advance there's a risk they won't be able to deduct it from the final pay packet, says DLA Phillips Fox senior associate Alex Manos.
Employers must ensure they understand the modern award system before it comes into effect in just nine months, according to workplace lawyer Shana Schreier-Joffe, who warns that the new Fair Work Australia regulator is likely to be vigilant in pursuing employers for non-compliance.
Employees with children will for the first time have a legislated right to request flexibility in their work arrangements, while employers will have a countervailing right to refuse requests on "reasonable business grounds", if the federal government's new industrial relations bill becomes law.
