HR Blogs

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently dealt with a case involving a worker who filed a general protections claim alleging dismissal during her return from parental leave.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently dealt with an unfair dismissal case where a worker (housekeeper) claimed she was unfairly dismissed.

After not working for several months, a casual employee received an email from his employer stating that they would not be offering him any more shifts.

In September 2022, the OHS Coordinator at InfraBuild Steel Laverton Steel Mill claimed the company's Safety Manager bullied him by micromanaging, threatening and intimidating him.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently dealt with an unfair dismissal case where a worker argued she was dismissed through an email while on personal leave.

HR provide frameworks, tools and coaching – but it’s managers who must own the outcomes. They are the ones best placed to create the optimal conditions for performance to flourish across the employee lifecycle.

A worker had an injury, and they were dismissed after refusing to attend an independent medical examination (IME) which was a reasonable action and request from the Employer.

In early February, numerous businesses in Melbourne, across a diverse range of industries were inspected by both Fair Work Inspectors and the Australian Border Force (ABF) from the Department of Home Affairs.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently dealt with an unfair dismissal claim where the central question was whether a worker had resigned or was dismissed.

Most businesses don’t lose people because of a single bad day. They lose them slowly — through a mix of unclear expectations, poor communication and workplace behaviours that quietly wear people down.

When we talk about onboarding, most people think of welcome emails, awkward first-day intros, and maybe a team lunch. But beneath the surface, onboarding is one of the most important compliance processes your business runs.

It’s one of the trickiest situations for any employer — you’ve got an employee who isn’t meeting expectations and a difficult conversation is overdue. But what are your options? Can you reduce their responsibilities? Move them into a different role? Demote them?

Flexible work is here to stay — but that doesn’t mean it’s unstructured. If your employees work remotely, even part of the time, your business needs a clear Work from Home (WFH) policy.

When it comes to HR, most of the damage happens quietly — not because someone made a major mistake, but because no one noticed the small ones stacking up. A missed policy review here, an expired contract there, and suddenly your business is out of step with Fair Work requirements.

Managing a remote team isn’t just about staying in touch — it’s about leading differently. Without the cues and rhythms of in-person work, things like communication, trust, and accountability need to be deliberately structured.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently dealt with an unfair dismissal case involving an employee who claimed he was unfairly dismissed after missing work after receiving a text message from the employer saying, "Do not come back".

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently dealt with an unfair dismissal case involving an employee who claimed he was unfairly dismissed after missing work after receiving a text message from the employer saying, "Do not come back".

As a business owner, you want your employees to be effective ambassadors for your business. You want them to promote your business, its products and services, uphold company values and in turn, protect the reputation of your business.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured a total of $5,146,100 in court penalties after Blue Sky Kids Land, a kids clothing retailer operating in New South Wales and ACT was found to have exploited four Chinese migrants and hindering or obstructing Fair Work Inspectors.

In December 2022, WorkSafe Victoria received an anonymous phone call in relation to a transport and logistics company called Tasmanian Freight
Services Pty Ltd.

In January 2022, two labour-hire fruit pickers at Cutri Fruit Pty Ltd's fruit orchard in Woorinen South fell off the rear of two trailers being towed by a tractor as it turned a corner on a public street between areas of the farm.

From 1 January 2025, intentionally underpaying an employee’s wages or entitlements can be a criminal offence.

In July 2021 a serious incident occurred at the National Steel Workplace Pty Ltd in WA whereby a teenage apprentice suffered severe burns whilst undertaking welding tasks without wearing appropriate fire-retardant clothing and without close supervision.

From January 2025, new pay rates will be introduced to 37 modern awards and new rules about how long employees can stay at the lowest classification level in modern awards will be introduced.

A worker had been employed as a security officer for nearly eight years. He primarily worked at a hospital when in February 2024, an incident occurred between the worker and a patient in the mental health ward.

As we approach summer and temperatures start to rise, it’s worthwhile revisiting some of the key aspects of Heat and Employers duties under WHS legislation to manage risk.

We all enjoy the end of year celebrations but as an employer it is imperative to safeguard your business and the team by setting and maintaining behaviour standards whilst role modelling responsible leadership and professional management.

The Australian courts are now issuing far more significant fines in relation to dealing with safety prosecutions. The courts are “maturing”, and safety regulators have increased prosecutions of individuals around breaches involving mobile plant.