Employers have no automatic right to legal representation when defending claims in the anti-bullying jurisdiction, despite popular belief to the contrary, according to DLA Piper senior associate Elizabeth Ticehurst.
Strong informal processes can prevent many bullying complaints from escalating into full-blown claims and legal action, but only if employers avoid common mistakes with them, says employment lawyer Jordan Tilse.
Without procedural fairness, even the most seemingly justified disciplinary decisions can be challenged and overturned. Don't risk this happening after your next workplace investigation.
This webcast covers:
The three principles of procedural fairness;
The "evidence rule";
Practical case law lessons from past investigations; and more.
There's still a lot of stigma towards mental health in the workplace, but employers and HR can do a range of things to be role models in this area, according to workplace health and safety specialist Christina Willcox.
Proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act could encourage workers to seek out more complex and expensive legal avenues to address prejudice in the workplace, says the Diversity Council of Australia.
Can you confidently tackle mental illness challenges in the workplace? Watch this webcast to understand the legislative framework, and how to manage psych claims, provide appropriate support and reduce stigma.
Data from the first quarter of the Fair Work Commission's anti-bullying regime underlines the importance of training managers and supervisors to minimise legal risks during performance management discussions, an employment lawyer says.
Employers are occasionally tempted to "get tricky" with the Fair Work Act's support person provisions, but a workplace lawyer warns that cutting corners in an attempt to expedite disciplinary matters can come back to bite them.
Casuals, contractors, labour hire and fixed-term employees can be a valuable asset to an organisation - or its biggest risk. Watch this webcast to understand which factors to consider when deciding to engage the various types of contingent workers; and more.
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.