Employment Legislation

Here’s all you need to know about the changes to the Employee Share Scheme

The peak industry organisation for vegetable and potato producers, AUSVEG, has backed the Federal Government’s announcement of the next step of reforms to the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility (PALM) initiative. 

Under the Horticulture Award minimum casual wage, workers will now be paid at least $25.41 per hour. 

The Australian government has released exposure draught legislation proposing tax and regulatory changes that will make it easier to implement ESSs.

The employment scenario in Australia directly impacts Indians, who are now the second-largest migrant population in Australia after the British.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has revealed that the Federal Government is planning to make changes to the JobSeeker rate when the coronavirus supplement ends in March.

Federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese is proposing a number of sizeable work reforms: Among them, an aim to provide those in insecure work with entitlements and employment security.

Instead of feeling paralysed by worry, businesses should see this as an opportunity. Here’s how businesses can transition to a post-JobKeeper environment successfully.

Personal/carer’s leave must now be ‘calculated by reference to an employee’s ordinary hours of work’, reverting to the method of calculation prior to August 2019. On 13 August 2020, the High Court of Australia changed how paid personal/carer’s leave under the National Employment Standards is to be accrued (see Mondelez Australia Pty Ltd v AMWU […]

When most people think of taking annual leave, they don’t anticipate spending that time either sick in bed or in hospital with a family member. However, the reality is that unforeseeable events can occur and potentially derail an intended vacation or any leave plans. So, what are an employer’s obligations if their employees get sick […]

Employees who work from home to look after family, a sick child, to manage long commutes or to juggle other commitments is fairly common practice… but that could be about to change. If employees work frequently from home, there are certain measures that need to be taken in accordance with the law to prevent serious health and safety […]

A recent violent attack on police officers that splashed across national news has highlighted the need for better employment practices, particularly when a staff member is at the centre of the story. Human resources specialist Kelli McDougall from Fifth Eagle says many people were surprised that a female childcare worker was charged as part of […]

Internships can be a mixed bag. Done poorly and you have an intern twiddling their thumbs or doing work that really should be done by an employee. Done well however, you’ll engage some bright young people with your organisation, gain some diverse perspectives, get some value add work done and build the management skills of […]

In light of recent allegations made against Rocky Horror Show star Craig McLachlan, it has become apparent that many employees feel that they aren’t able to speak up about sexual harassment in the workplace for fear of repercussions. According to a study conducted by the Australian Human Rights Commission in 2012 titled Working without fear: […]

In the United States, it is becoming vogue for companies to pay for female employees to freeze their eggs, with the likes of Apple, Facebook and Google introducing the policy. It’s being sold as a means for women to further their careers, free of pressure to have children at a particular point in time. However, […]

Casual workers will be given the right to convert to part-time or full-time employment, and receive new minimum engagement periods, the Fair Work Commission announced earlier this month. The Commission has decided to give employees across most industries and occupations the right to request permanent employment status after 12 months of regular and systematic employment. […]

Well known ride-sharing app, Uber, has been headlining publications globally as its company policies, CEO and business model are being called into question. Uber’s recent transgressions relating to sexual harassment, discrimination, unprofessionalism, bullying, employment structures and a toxic workplace culture in America challenge many Australian employment laws. The issues at hand allow Australian businesses, small […]

Two decisions of the Fair Work Commission took effect on weekend – An immediate 3.3% increase in the minimum wage; and a staged variation in penalty rates under the Hospitality, Fast Food, Retail and Pharmacy Awards. The decisions do not apply to people employed under enterprise agreements or in other sectors (eg nurses, police, paramedics, […]

As the 2016-2017 financial year comes to an end, businesses are hastily tying up loose ends in preparation for the new financial year. Often employers can put themselves at risk when pressuring their employees to work extensive overtime to finalise projects, meet deadlines and finish annual reports before the end of the financial year. Employers […]

The Fair Work Commission today delivered its annual wage review. This decision will have a significant impact on all businesses and industries and over 2.3 million employees who are paid at the National Minimum Wage or minimum Modern Award rates. From the first full pay period commencing after 1 July 2017: all Modern Award rates will increase by […]