Anti-bullying amendments to the Fair Work Act, due to take effect in January next year, could lead to a spate of psychological injury claims that will be extremely difficult to defend, warns employment lawyer Brad Swebeck.
Initial concerns about the impact on employers of the Fair Work Act's adverse action provisions have proven to be unfounded, but employers should expect to face more claims now that case law has clarified the way it operates, says employment lawyer Amanda Harvey.
Rulings handed down since the commencement of the Fair Work Act's adverse action provisions have clarified some of the mystery around their operation and contain important lessons for employers.
Imminent changes to the 457-visa system will create more work for HR in terms of establishing the "genuineness" of their need for overseas workers, according to employment lawyer Fiona Inverarity.
Managing long-term absent employees requires a cautious and proactive approach, or employers risk facing claims involving the whole gamut of employment law.
Watch this webcast to understand how to:
manage prolonged absences from work;
identify the 'inherent requirements' of a position;
consider 'reasonable adjustments';
ensure compliance with the proposed amendments to Commonwealth anti-discrimination laws;
determine what material to provide in an independent medical assessment;
return employees to work on suitable duties; and
evaluate relevant legal risks before a termination of employment.
The indicators employers need to report against under the Workplace Gender Equality Act include information that many organisations don't yet capture, and might have to create systems for, according to Ashurst lawyers Michael Tamvakologos and Melissa Bulat.
Contractors make up part of nearly every employer's workforce, but understanding your responsibilities in this area and maintaining first-rate safety standards can be tough.
This webcast covers:
How to ensure contractor compliance;
Your OHS obligations to different kinds of contractors;
Harmonisation - consultation obligations and other changes;
Employers should carefully monitor and manage how much discretionary sick leave they provide to employees following an injury or illness, according to employment lawyer Helen Donovan.
Take-up of the right to request flexible work is low, but the requests are generally granted without variation, according to a new Fair Work Commission report.
In the lead-up to July's superannuation changes, some employers face a "tough communication exercise" in explaining to employees that their base salary will drop, while others need to consider how they will fund the higher contributions, according to a reward specialist.
General protections claims are the fastest-growing category of applications in the Fair Work Commission, with reforms now underway to stem the tide. This webinar will discuss important developments in both procedural issues and case law.
