End-of-year celebrations have always been fraught with risk, but the proliferation of mobile devices adds "e-harassment" to the list of potential risks employers must address, according to lawyer Lisa Berton.
Employers should act swiftly to ensure their directors, managers and senior executives will not be left "out of pocket" under new legislation designed to cap excessive termination payments, says Harmers Workplace Lawyers partner Jamie Robinson.
As the job market strengthens and inter-company movement increases, employers will be more likely to pursue litigation to guard their assets, predicts Harmers Workplace Lawyers partner Shana Schreier-Joffe.
With the holiday season approaching, employers need to beware that if they grant employees leave in advance there's a risk they won't be able to deduct it from the final pay packet, says DLA Phillips Fox senior associate Alex Manos.
Employers that don't adequately prepare for employees' imminent right to request flexible working arrangements could see the morale of their workforce eroded and face public scrutiny over their handling of requests, says workplace lawyer Brad Petley.
Knowledge gaps in contractor management issues have the potential to expose medium-to-large companies to serious financial risks, says payroll tax specialist Stacey Nolan.
Flexible work arrangements will be seen as solutions to the "problem" of women's employment until more men access them, says the director of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA), Mairi Steele.
The employers that will get the most benefit from enterprise bargaining negotiations under the new system are those that have a strong handle on the drivers of their business, and who embrace "new thinking and new skills", says workplace lawyer Chris Gardner.
