Compassionate and Bereavement Leave
The National Employment Standards provide all employees, including casuals, with an entitlement to compassionate and bereavement leave. Awards, enterprise agreements and other registered agreements can also provide additional entitlements to compassionate leave. When can compassionate leave be taken Employees can take compassionate leave if: a member of their immediate family or household dies, or contracts […]
Ensuring a Safe and Enjoyable Christmas Party: Best Practices for Organisations
The festive season brings the excitement of annual Christmas parties within organisations. These events are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the year’s successes and foster team camaraderie. However, they also come with their own set of challenges. To ensure these celebrations are both safe and enjoyable, thoughtful planning is essential. Here are some key strategies […]
The Future of HR: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Human Resources
The realm of Human Resources (HR) is on the cusp of a major transformation, thanks to the advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI). As we look towards the future, AI is poised to revolutionize HR practices, from recruitment to employee engagement and performance management. In this blog, we delve into how AI is set to reshape […]
Navigating HR Disciplinary Conversations: A Structured Approach
Addressing employee misconduct or underperformance is among the most challenging tasks HR professionals face. These conversations are sensitive, and if not handled correctly, they can escalate or lead to further workplace issues. Crafting a structured approach to HR disciplinary conversations is crucial for ensuring clarity, fairness, and resolution. In this guide, we’ll explore how to […]
Fair Work Act ‘Closing Loopholes’ Amendments Bill
The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, was introduced to parliament on 4th September for debate. The bill introduces sweeping changes across the Fair Work Act, which if the bill passes, may have significant changes to the current employment relations landscape. This article will summarise some […]
Paid Domestic Violence Leave & Casual Conversion
A new paid domestic violence leave entitlement came into effect on 1st of August 2023, which replaced the previous five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave entitlement. The entitlement will provide 10 paid days of leave per 12 months, to employees of small businesses who are experiencing family or domestic violence. Key features […]
Unlocking the Power of Situational Leadership: Key Benefits for Modern Organisations
In the ever-changing landscape of modern business, leaders often find themselves facing a diverse set of challenges. From managing remote teams to juggling multiple projects, the traditional “one-size-fits-all” leadership style is increasingly becoming obsolete. This is where Situational Leadership comes into play—a versatile, adaptive approach to management that tailors leadership styles to the specific situation […]
Top 10 Interview Questions for Assessing Organisational Fit
Ensuring an employee is the right fit for your organisation is just as critical as evaluating their skills and qualifications. Here are the top 10 interview questions for assessing organisational fit to help you gauge whether a candidate will thrive in your company culture. 1/ Can you describe the work environment in which you’re most […]
8 Steps for Employers to Avoid Unfair Dismissal in Australia
Unfair dismissal in Australia is governed by the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), which ensures that employees are treated fairly and reasonably upon termination of employment. The Act provides specific guidelines for employers to follow during the dismissal process, and non-compliance can lead to significant legal repercussions. Here are 8 essential steps for employers to […]
Workplace Gender Equality Reforms
Workplace Gender Equality Reforms Federal Parliament passed the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023 on 30 March 2023. The aim of the reforms The reforms are aimed at improving transparency, accountability and accelerating progress on workplace gender equality in Australia. It is expected that publishing employer gender pay gaps will […]
Selecting the Best HR System for Your Business
A Human Resources Information System (HRIS) is a critical tool for managing HR functions and data. A HRIS helps HR professionals streamline tasks and provides a centralised database for employee information. HRIS’ can help with everything from recruiting and hiring to benefits administration and performance management. However, selecting the right HRIS for your organisation can […]
New Sexual Harassment Laws
New Sexual Harassment Laws The changes to the Fair Work Act (2009) under the Secure Jobs, Better Pay legislation in relation to sexual harassment have come into operation effective 6 March 2023. Under the changes, the Fair Work Act (2009) has been updated to ban sexual harassment in connection with work for all workers – […]
Writing a Professional Employment Contract
Key Elements of Writing an Employment Contract An employment contract is a legally binding agreement between an employer and an employee. Here are the key elements that should be included in an employment contract: Job Title and Description: Clearly state the job title and a brief description of the duties and responsibilities of the employee. […]
7 Ways to Effectively Manage Employee Salary Increases
Salary increases It can be difficult to determine when an employee deserves or requires a salary increase. In order to attract and retain the best employees, we recommend conducting regular remuneration reviews and viewing benchmarking data. Remuneration reviews may be done in conjunction with your annual performance reviews, as you will likely be linking the […]
The Evolution of Performance Appraisals
The Evolution of Performance Appraisals Performance appraisals are often viewed as a tedious task that both managers and their direct reports despise. Cumbersome and over complicate performance appraisals process have been the major contributor to that perception for many. Not to mention the amount of paperwork it creates and that in many cases, it doesn’t […]
Respect@Work: 6 Important Changes to Consider
Respect@Work Changes: Late last year, the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect@Work) Act 2022 implemented a number of changes to the way businesses approach sexual harassment in relation to the workplace. We have summarised the Respect@Work changes in the list below that have taken place and a guide to satisfy the changes. Workplaces now […]
We’re Hiring: HR Consultant, Sydney
Position: Casual HR Consultant Location: Sydney, Australia Liquid HR is an established HR Consulting firm providing unrivalled support and advice to small and medium-sized businesses. We are seeking a casual HR Consultant to join our team and provide Sydney based clients with a broad range of HR Consulting Support, both onsite and remotely from home. […]
Understanding Modern Awards in the Workplace
Interpretation of a modern award is the process of understanding and applying the award to a specific workplace or individual employee. It is essential for employers and employees to have an accurate understanding of the award to ensure that all parties are compliant with the relevant legal obligations. This blog will discuss the key points […]
HR Workplace Trends for 2023
We hope you all got to enjoy some time off over the Christmas and New Year period. There are a lot of changes on the cards this year from a HR perspective, with phase one of the new Secure Jobs, Better pay legislation now in operation. In this monthly update, we: discuss these changes and […]
5 Important Reasons for Small Business HR
Small businesses in Australia are the backbone of the country’s economy, but running a small business can be challenging. One important aspect of running a small business that is often overlooked is Human Resources (HR). The role of HR in small businesses is to ensure that the company’s employees are happy, productive, and well-managed. Here […]
Finding the Right Human Resources Consultancy Company in Sydney and Melbourne
Finding the Right Human Resources Consultancy Company in Sydney and Melbourne Table of Contents Image Source: Pexels Finding the right Human Resources Consultancy Company in Sydney and Melbourne can be a daunting task. With so many options available, it’s important to know the factors to consider before making a decision. In this blog article, we […]
Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act
As another year comes to a close, we wanted to thank each of you for your support to Liquid HR over the last 12 months. Our business has seen substantial growth, with a lot of this growth coming from client referrals and recommendations. We wish you and your team a wonderful Christmas and New Year […]
Pre-existing medical history and disclosure requirements
Medical history is a sensitive topic that comes with responsibilities of confidentiality and privacy. For these reasons, it is highly unusual for current and or prospective employees to disclose their pre-existing medical history and this is also not always required. Should the pre-existing medical history have no bearing on the employee’s ability to undertake the […]
The Great Divide of Working from Home or Not
The Great Divide of Working from Home or Not Under the current climate of staff shortages and the war for talent, many employers are faced with the all-important question whether directing teams back in the office is the right approach or will it result in undesired turnover. With that in mind, it is therefore crucial […]
Fair Work announces 15% pay increase for Aged Care workers
Fair Work announces 15% pay increase for Aged Care workers The full bench of the Fair Work Commission recently announced its interim decision to award a 15% pay increase to Aged Care workers in direct care roles across various awards. The hearing included a major work value case for awards including the Aged Care Award […]
High Income Employees: Does the Award still apply?
An insightful article written by Andrew Bland from Blands Law https://blandslaw.com.au/ that recently addressed a question we receive from clients quite often. The high-income threshold, currently $162,000.00, is indexed annually and limits an employee’s eligibility to make an unfair dismissal claim where no award or agreement applies to their employment. Many employers also believe that […]
Clerks—Private Sector Award, Australia
Clerks—Private Sector Award Overview This award summary provides an overview of some of the key features of the Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020. This information is current as at July 2022. Awards are updated and you should always refer to a current copy of the award for the most up to date information. A copy of […]
Navigating the Australian Labour Market
Navigating the Australian Labour Market According to the ABS, as at August 2022 the unemployment rate in Australia was 3.5%. This is 487,700 unemployed people who are of working age. The ABS Job Vacancies report recorded and estimated 470,900 job vacancies as at August 2022. “Job vacancies were 107.4% higher than they were in February […]
Apprentice and Trainee
Apprentice and Trainee This eBook contains an overview of obligations and requirements for employers to consider when hiring apprentices or trainees.Should you have any questions in relation to the information below, please reach out to one of our Employment Relations experts on:Tel: 1300 887 458Email: enquiries@liquidhr.com.au Table of Contents What is a trainee A trainee […]
Why your Small Business needs HR
Why your Small Business needs HR It’s no surprise that HR services are very often pushed to the back of the bus for small businesses. The recurring theme we hear is that small businesses are so focused on day-to-day operations and growing revenue that HR becomes an afterthought. A fair assumption, one might think, until […]
