With expectant parents already able to file claims with the Family Assistance Office, employers need to know how to answer employees' questions about the imminent paid parental scheme, say Lander and Rogers employment lawyers.
A NSW employer that allegedly told a worker to "bear the consequences" of her "inconvenient" pregnancy, is facing fines of up to $231,000 following the launch of the Fair Work Ombudsman's first pregnancy discrimination case.
The Federal Government's paid parental leave scheme is due to take effect on 1 January next year, but smart employers are preparing now in order to capitalise on its benefits, says special counsel for Freehills, Elizabeth Ferrier.
The number of employers cited in the Federal Government's 2010 employer of choice for women list has dropped to 95, down from 111 last year and 99 in 2008.
More than 50 per cent of SMEs have a poor understanding of the National Employment Standards, which came into effect on 1 January 2010, a survey of 350 employers has found.
As an increasing number of baby boomers find themselves caring not only for children and parents but grandchildren as well, the NSW Equal Employment Practitioners Association (NEEOPA) is urging employers to reassess how they manage and support their caregivers.
With only three months to go until the "right to request flexibility" kicks off with the other National Employment Standards, more than four in every five employers are under-prepared and at risk of failing to comply with the new rules, a survey reveals.
Recognising that "employees are not the paid enemy" is a necessary step toward a workplace culture that fosters high retention and financial success, says Roche Australia's national L&D manager, Becky Casey.
Paid maternity leave increases the chances that new and expectant mums will remain "attached" to the workforce and quickly return to their pre-birth employers, according to researchers from Deakin University.
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.
