Traditional HR approaches to managing bullying risks are "simply not keeping up with the complexity of the modern-day workplace bully", according to a workplace relations expert.
An employee's failure to declare medication he was taking for mental health issues denied his employer the opportunity to assess whether it posed any workplace risks, the Fair Work Commission has found in upholding his dismissal.
Summarily dismissing a worker for evading a drug test was warranted, despite his claims he had "defecated in his pants" and needed to rush home, according to the Fair Work Commission.
The Fair Work Commission has rejected that reinstating an employee would make others think they could "get away" with breaching workplace policies; rather, it said this case would clarify the employer's rules around acceptable behaviour.
The employees who right-to-disconnect laws aim to help might be those least likely to benefit, according to a workplace lawyer who is concerned the entitlement will be exploited.
An employer was entitled to conclude an employee was under the influence of dr-gs when he was involved in a safety incident, despite failing to test him as required by its own D&A policy, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
Most employers appear to remain unaware of the extent of their legal duties towards employees affected by family and domestic violence, a lawyer warns.
Only about 5% of employers are operating at best-practice levels when it comes to supporting employees affected by domestic violence, a workplace wellness specialist says.
An employer's right to monitor company property is complicated, especially when employees use devices for both work and private purposes, so clear policies are essential, a workplace lawyer says.
Taking specific steps when implementing a D&A testing regime will help employers if they need to rely on it to defend disciplinary action, according to a lawyer.
