The "adverse action" provisions under the new industrial relations legislation will compel employers to be more cautious when making decisions that affect employees, according to workplace lawyer Alex Manos.
A $466,000 damages award is a timely reminder of how devastating the effects of workplace sexual harassment can be on both the victim and the employer if the issue is dealt with poorly, says Harriet Stacey of WISE Workplace Investigations.
Employers that defy the traditional adversarial approach to workplace negotiations when the new bargaining laws kick off this week will have a competitive edge over those that fail to engage with all business stakeholders, says lawyer, mediator and CoSolve director Clive Thompson.
An IT recruitment company has been stung with a $20,000 damages bill for misleading a worker on its bonus scheme - and other employers, a lawyer says, could find themselves in the same boat if they withhold critical information from new employees.
The new workplace laws coming into effect next week will facilitate a "maturing" of collective bargaining in Australia and require employers to be much more sophisticated in their approach to negotiations, according to workplace lawyer Chris Gardner.
From 1 July union officials will have the power to enter premises on suspicion of a workplace breach regardless of whether or not the employees are union members or covered by a union-binding agreement, says Freehills partner Anthony Longland.
The Federal Government should consider legislative amendments to let employers temporarily reduce workers' base hourly rates so they can ride out the downturn, according to Hicksons Lawyers.
Proper investigation of workplace incidents and complaints can help protect employers against legal claims by employees, but many HR managers lack the skills to conduct them. Here, an employment lawyer and former police investigator explains how they're done.
HR managers must quickly determine what constitutes a "transfer of business" before the definition of transmission expands significantly next month, according to Deacons partner Sally Woodward.
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.
