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.
Measuring retention of women and reviewing salaries to identify gaps between genders are among the initiatives the equal opportunity agency has recognised as advancing equality in the workplace, in its annual business achievement awards.
A score of Australian businesses have sought recognition for workplace flexibility since the implementation of a new scheme in May, but all have yet to reach the lofty goal of platinum accreditation.
As the Government considers the Productivity Commission's proposal for paid parental leave, a growing number of large Australian employers have opted not to wait to implement their own schemes.
All employers should consider putting in place a workplace s-xual harassment prevention plan, even though such plans are only expressly prescribed in one jurisdiction, according to a risk management expert.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on whistleblowing, placing employers firmly on notice that their response to a protected disclosure could be subject to intense scrutiny. Watch this webcast to understand the role HR plays in this challenging space.
