Employers can find themselves on the wrong side of the Fair Work Act if they vary part-time employees' hours without paying overtime, or if they terminate a fixed-term contract with notice. This article answers nine important questions about employment contracts.
As organisations increase their use of overseas workers, HR professionals need to ensure they are across complex legal issues, says immigration expert Teresa Liu.
Organisations that rely on contingent workers will be most significantly affected by the introduction of harmonised workplace safety laws, says employment lawyer Charles Cameron.
It is nearly impossible for employers to completely understand how the Fair Work Act's adverse action provisions might affect them, but they should "sit up and pay attention" to developing case law, says Hicksons partner Brad Swebeck.
Many employers continue to put three-month probation clauses in new employees' contracts, despite the Fair Work Act rendering that timeframe meaningless with regard to dismissals, says employment lawyer Emma Goodwin.
Do you have to offer employees a support person at disciplinary meetings? What is the support person's role? Can you refuse to allow a requested support person to attend meetings? Lander & Rogers senior associate Amanda Harvey answers these questions and more.
Employers considering shedding staff in reaction to economic uncertainty must ensure they have updated their redundancy processes, says employment lawyer Lisa Berton.
Under the model OHS laws that take effect in January, an HR manager who under-staffs a department where an injury occurs could potentially be found criminally liable, says employment lawyer Paul Cutrone.
Many workplace policies make it hard for employers to investigate anonymous complaints, and should be redrafted, according to workplace investigator Lisa Klug.
Organisations can minimise the risk of claims from contractors seeking employee benefits by regularly reviewing their arrangements to ensure "the weight of the evidence" suggests they are principals, not employers, says employment lawyer Brad Swebeck.
Workplace bullying complaints continue to pose significant challenges for employers, including where the behaviour doesn't meet the legal definition of bullying or the threshold to make a claim. Watch this HR Daily Premium webcast to understand key lessons from cases where bullying complaints interact with other claims and issues.
What constitutes "best practice" when managing neurodiversity at work is evolving all the time. Watch this HR Daily Premium webcast to learn how to embed neuroinclusive practices into HR programs and every stage of the employment lifecycle.
