Get Fair Work off your Back – Pay your Employees Correctly or Risk Penalties!
A Fair Work Inspector issued a Compliance Notice to a carpentry business in Victoria’s South Gippsland region after forming a belief that a young full time apprentice carpenter had been underpaid minimum wages during his employment between July 2019 and June 2021.
Sexual Harassment at Work – A Case Study
In August 2023, a former employee of Highland Pine Products Pty Ltd who worked as an electrician, lodged an unfair dismissal claim with the Fair Work Commission.
Importance of Maintaining Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
October has been National Safe Work month with all state regulatory bodies urging employers to focus on various issues relating to safety and wellbeing.
(Just In) Workplace Health and Safety laws Amendments in every Australian jurisdiction.
In the third quarter of 2023, significant amendments were made to workplace health and safety laws in every Australian jurisdiction.
Proposed changes to casual employment provisions
There are some proposed amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) within the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 (the Bill) around casual employment and implications for employers.
Victorian Workcover Premiums – Costs are skyrocketing – Let us help you put money back into your pocket.
Over the last couple of months, Victorian businesses have had to fork out thousands of extra dollars to pay for escalating Workcover premiums.
Does your business have documented safe work practices?
The decision made in case SafeWork NSW v JBS Australia Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 382 (19 September 2023) has demonstrated the need for businesses to ensure they have documented safe work practices in place to prevent serious risk of harm.
Workcover Premiums
Every business must ensure they have Workers Compensation Insurance to cover all their employees.
Is management aware of workplace policies? A case where important guidelines were not followed
A glass manufacturer terminated an employee with an alcohol dependency problem who had previously considered suicide after he was found to have consumed alcohol at work.
Targeted Fair Work Investigations - next time it could be your industry
Earlier this year, there was a targeted investigation in Melbourne’s inner south and west food precincts by Fair Work investigators who recovered $684,543 in wages for 1,004 underpaid workers.
The Protecting Worker Entitlements Act 2023
Recently the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Protecting Worker Entitlements) Act 2023 was passed which altered five key areas of employment law, two of which were effective 1 July 2023
Privacy Reminder and COVID-19 VIC Update
Victorian employers that collected ‘vaccination information’ in accordance with the state Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccination Information) Regulations 2022 must now destroy that information within the next 14 days, as the Amendment Regulations have now been revoked.
Industrial Manslaughter – What’s New?
Every state but Tasmania recognises industrial manslaughter as a crime with varying but substantial financial penalties for businesses and prison time for individuals.
Annual Wage Review 2023
The Fair Work Commission has just announced its decision regarding the 2023 Annual Wage Review.
Safety failure – Fines for not addressing key workplace hazard
Boral Resources (Vic) Pty Ltd was charged with six breaches of the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, relating to workers' exposure to respirable crystalline silica at its Montrose quarry.
Government Funded Paid Parental Leave – Change from 1 July 2023
Currently, the Federal Government offers Paid Parental Leave of 18 weeks to primary carers with a separate two-week paid initiative for partners called ‘Dad and Partner Pay’.
Workcover Premiums – Recoup your Overpayments (noting premiums are increasing 1 July 2023)
Workcover Premiums will be increasing across each State from 1 July 2023 which will put an added pressure on many businesses.
Direction to take annual leave during shutdown
Previously if a business was having a shut down, for example between Christmas and New Year, an employer could direct an employee to use their annual leave for the duration of the shutdown.
Do you have safe work methods in place?
Oricon Group Pty Ltd has been sentenced for breaching the Victorian OHS Act after five workers were injured in a scaffold collapse at a multi-townhouse development in Craigieburn Victoria.
Are you paying too much for your Workers Compensation Insurance?
If your business is registered in NSW, QLD, SA or VIC (these are what are classified as the ‘managed states’ which have government run workers compensation schemes)
