It's time for employers to move beyond the risk assessments that have worked well for physical safety hazards and consider a broader range of factors when looking at psychosocial safety, experts say.
Implementing a support plan, holding frequent meetings and providing performance feedback from multiple people were all reasonable actions, a commission has ruled in a dispute over liability for an employee's psychological injury.
An employer has failed to prove that it didn't dismiss a worker when it repeatedly refused her requests for part-time work after a period of parental leave.
It was retaliatory and "cold-hearted" of an HR manager to ask an absent employee to attend meetings, and to repeatedly deny his requests for annual leave after his sick leave ran out, the Federal Circuit Court has found in upholding his adverse action claim.
The National Psychosocial Safety Network, HR Crowd and Diversity Council Australia are among the many organisations appointing specialists in HR-related roles recently. Meanwhile, employment law firms have also been busy promoting and recruiting staff.
Despite taking on more strategic responsibility, some HR teams are doing themselves a disservice by stepping in to "fix" issues that other leaders could solve, according to a coach.
Sacking an employee seven years after he sent "intimate" messages to a subordinate was warranted, but his otherwise unblemished record made the dismissal harsh, the Fair Work Commission has found in ordering his reinstatement.
In granting a stay of a reinstatement order, the Fair Work Commission has ruled that an employee should receive what he would have earned if he returned to work, without any requirement to repay the money if his employer's appeal succeeds.
All employers should consider putting in place a workplace s-xual harassment prevention plan, even though such plans are only expressly prescribed in one jurisdiction, according to a risk management expert.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on whistleblowing, placing employers firmly on notice that their response to a protected disclosure could be subject to intense scrutiny. Watch this webcast to understand the role HR plays in this challenging space.
