Upcoming public holidays for the rest of 2022
Upcoming public holidays for the rest of 2022 The Prime Minister has declared that Thursday the 22nd of September will be a public holiday for a National Day of Mourning for Her Majesty the Queen. There are several other public holidays coming up in each state in territory which can be found by clicking the […]
FWO Compliance Priorities Released
FWO Compliance Priorities Released The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is the Australian Government body responsible for the education and enforcement of compliance with modern award requirements and the National Employment Standards. Each year, the FWO releases their compliance and enforcement priorities, highlighting the industries, occupations and areas they will focus on for the current financial […]
FWC wage increase handed down
FWC wage increase handed down This week the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has announced a 5.2% increase to the National Minimum wage, increasing the National Minimum Wage to $812.60 per week or $21.38 per hour. In addition to the above, modern award minimum wages will increase by 4.6% (or for wage rates below $869.60 per […]
CPI increase 5.1% over the 12 months – May 2022
CPI increase 5.1% over the 12 months – what does this mean for employee remuneration? The all-groups Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures household inflation and includes statistics about price change for categories of household expenditure. CPI is important when determining any remuneration increases as it reflects the increased cost of living to employees. Employers often […]
Budget 2022 – What is in store for Employers?
Budget 2022 – What is in store for Employers? Apprentice and Trainee Incentives The current Boosting Apprenticeship Commencement subsidy is being extended to 30 June 2022.Through the wage subsidy, any business that engages an Australian Apprentice or Trainee before 30 June 2022 may be eligible for a wage subsidy of 50 per cent of wages […]
Importance of a Probation Period
A probation period is an opportunity for an employer and new employee to assess suitability. The length of a probation period is commonly matched to what is referred to as the ‘minimum employment period’ under the Fair Work Act 2009. For employers with less than 15 employees, the minimum employment period is 12 months. For […]
Join Our Team
Are you an experienced HR professional who loves variety and flexibility? Maybe you’re looking for your next challenge and want to be part of a vibrant team Are you Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane based? If so, we may have just the opportunity you’re looking for…. Whether you’re seeking full/part-time work, a casual engagement, or project-based […]
The Importance of Data in HR Strategy
A critique that was once levelled at HR practitioners and HR as a business discipline is that compared to other hard business disciplines, such as finance and logistics, it was not quantifiable. The value of HR to an organisation was measured by the HR team’s output rather than the actual dollar value (versus cost) of […]
Sexual Harassment and Miscarriage Leave Changes
On 10 September 2021, the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Act 2021 (Respect at Work amendments) took effect. The Respect at Work amendments update the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) to: • address sexual harassment at work • include miscarriage as a reason to access compassionate leave. The Respect at […]
The Advantages of Outsourcing HR for SMEs
Outsourced Human Resources (HR) is a Growing Solution for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Over the past decade, we have witnessed the exponential growth of organisations steering toward HR outsourcing – an option historically reserved for the ‘big end of town’ only. Small and medium sized organisations (SMEs) have also been taking advantage of the […]
“You’re too old” Employer ordered to pay compensation to Job Seeker
A 61 year old construction worker made a complaint to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board when he called up a Sydney based Builder in November 2019 asking about a job. He claimed that when he called to find out more information about the casual construction position, the company’s director “burst out laughing” and said in between […]
Victorian Wage Theft Legislation – 1 July, 2021
On 1 July 2021, it will become a crime for an employer in Victoria to deliberately underpay employees or dishonestly withhold employee entitlements. An employer in Victoria will be incriminated for: deliberately underpaying employees dishonestly withholding wages, superannuation or other employee entitlements falsifying employee entitlement records to gain a financial advantage failing to keep employee […]
Onboarding – Because You Only Get One Shot!
As an employer, your onboarding process is one of your most valuable tools of employee engagement and retention – but it is often the most overlooked. An effective onboarding process can help the new starter feel welcomed, engaged, and understand their role in the organisation. Research has shown that the first 18 months’ of a […]
Changes to casual employment – here’s what you need to know
On Friday 26 March 2021, the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) was amended to change workplace rights and obligations for casual employees, called the Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia’s Jobs and Economic Recovery) Act 2021. These changes to casual employment are significant and will impact every employer in Australia who has a casual workforce. […]
Make mine a micro-job! Why working one day a week is the secret of happiness
We don’t usually re-post media articles in this section, but this recent piece from the Guardian UK was worth it! The cheeriest employees are those who spend most of their time at leisure, research has confirmed. Is this the end of the 40-hour week? Name: The secret of happiness. Age: Older than I look. I put my […]
JobKeeper Scheme Coming to an End 28 March 2021
Business’ should prepare for wage subsidies to end on 28 March 2021 under the JobKeeper scheme, with the Prime Minister Scott Morrison unlikely to extend the program in its current form. This means that employers relying on JobKeeper will need to make some hard decisions about their business’ future, and how this may impact their […]
The first annual reconciliation of annualised salaries under modern awards is approaching 1 March 2021
Many of you will recall the changes made to a number of modern awards on 1 March 2020. These changes placed new obligations on employers who pay an annualised salary to: Advise the employee in writing and keep a record of: What is incorporated into the annualised salary The method in which the annualised salary […]
Performance Management and Unfair Dismissal Applications
There is little as frustrating for a manager than an employee that constantly under performs or behaves inappropriately. When this happens, it is important that a correct and fair process is followed to deal with the issues. When it comes to dismissing an employee, there is a chance that they may seek compensation or reinstatement […]
Modern Award wage increase – 1 November 2020
You may recall that when the Fair Work Commission handed down a wage increase of 1.75% this year, they separated the modern awards into three categories: Category 1 awards – the increase came into operation on 1 July 2020 Category 2 awards – the increase comes into operation on 1 November 2020 Category 3 awards […]
Financial Budget – incentives and tax cuts
The Federal Budget has a number of incentives in place for employers to encourage job growth. This update provides an overview of the two key incentives, as well as information around the income tax cuts that came into operation on the 13th of October 2020. JobMaker Hiring Credit From 7 October 2020, eligible employers will […]
Further changes announced to JobKeeper
The stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne has seen the Australian government announce some additional amendments to the JobKeeper program. From 3 August 2020 the relevant date of employment will move from 1 March to 1 July 2020. Previously the scheme was only open to employees who were employed by the business as at 1 March […]
Victorian Pandemic Leave Payment
The Victorian Government is providing one-off payments to financially support Victorian workers, including parents and guardians, who are required to self-isolate or quarantine due to coronavirus (COVID-19). To be eligible for the one-off $1500 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Worker Support payment you must: Have been instructed by the Department of Health and Human Services to self-isolate or […]
Changes to JobKeeper Scheme from September 2020
With ongoing economic uncertainty from COVID-19, today the Australian Government announced changes to the future of the JobKeeper scheme, taking the program until March 2021. Below is an overview of the key dates and changes you should be across. Business Eligibility In order to be eligible for the JobKeeper Payment after 27 September 2020, businesses […]
Updated Modern Awards
The Fair Work Commission is extensively varying existing awards as a result of the 4 yearly review of modern awards. The next round of awards that have been varied are listed below. The variations will come into operation on the 18th of June 2020. – Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2010 – Amusement, Events and Recreation […]
Casual Employees and Leave Entitlements
Court ruling that some casual employees are entitled to paid leave On Wednesday the 20th of May, the Federal Court handed down a ruling in the case of WorkPac Pty Ltd v Rossato [2020] FCAFC 84 In this case Robert Rossato was engaged as mine worker. He was employed by WorkPac as a casual employee for […]
What if employees don’t want to return to the workplace?
As businesses reopen and look towards recommencing their normal operations in accordance with their State or Territory’s framework, there will come a time where employees will be asked to return to the workplace. There are businesses that require employees to attend the workplace in order to operate, such as waitstaff, nail technicians and retail assistants, […]
Transitioning Back To The Workplace
A return to work, whether after a complete mandatory shutdown or after remote working, is inevitable as COVID-19 restrictions are reviewed throughout the country. On 30 April 2020, Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced the easing of many COVID-19 restrictions including a gradual return of people to their workplace, subject that businesses have a […]
JobKeeper Applications are Open
Under the JobKeeper payment, businesses impacted by the coronavirus will be able to access a subsidy from the Australian Government to continue paying their employees. Affected employers will be able to claim a fortnightly payment of $1,500 per eligible employee from 30 March 2020, for a maximum period of 6 months. You can now enrol […]
Pandemic Leave and Changes to Modern Awards
The Fair Work Commission has the power under Section 157(3) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to vary modern awards to achieve the awards objective. On Thursday the 2nd of April the FWC issued a statement outlining their provisional view (subject to consultation) to make amendments to 103 modern awards during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
Key COVID-19 Updates for Organisations Employing Staff
The employment landscape is rapidly changing as the government and related organisations are seeking to roll out initiatives to support employers and employees through this unprecedented time. Below is an overview of all the changes you should be across. For specific advice related to your organisation, please get in touch with us directly. Click on […]
