An employer's OHS obligations take precedence when an employee shows up at work under the influence of alcohol, but a regime that combines a clear policy, counselling and discipline ensures best practice, according to leading workplace lawyer, Michael Tooma.
With only three months to go until the "right to request flexibility" kicks off with the other National Employment Standards, more than four in every five employers are under-prepared and at risk of failing to comply with the new rules, a survey reveals.
The Australian human rights law framework doesn't cater for employees who have been wronged at work, according to high-profile discrimination claimant Christina Rich. She says corporate and individual leaders can play a role in reforming workplace culture, but the broader system needs to change.
HR and recruitment managers should bear in mind "what a judge would think" before blithely rejecting job applicants who "fail" inherent requirements tests, a workplace relations lawyer says.
Employers that fail to make "reasonable adjustments" for stress-affected employees returning to work could face discrimination claims, an employment lawyer warns, and improving communication streams, according to a business lecturer, is pivotal.
The Fair Work Act allows for greater union involvement in the workplace, an IR lawyer says, and smart employers are fostering positive relationships with employees and their representatives in an effort to cement long-term growth.
Employers must move "beyond legislative compliance alone" to combat the growth of stress-driven compensation claims and injuries, according to Curtin University research.
Fair Work Australia's first good faith bargaining order should spur employers to put more thought and preparation into negotiations than was necessary under the old legislation, according to an employment lawyer.
Changes to disability discrimination laws and other human rights legislation that take effect next week will make it easier for aggrieved employees to establish they were discriminated against, a workplace relations lawyer warns.
Employees whose requests for flexibility are only partially granted are as unlikely as workers whose requests are refused to improve their work/life balance and lessen "time strain", the third annual Australian Work and Life Index survey reveals.
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.
