Modern slavery reporting: NSW legislation update
Over a year since the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW) (Act) was passed by Parliament, the legislation is still yet to come into force, or even have a date set for doing so. Since that time, the Federal Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) has passed and come into effect (see our previous article on that […]
ReadmoreNew whistleblowing laws – are you ready?
The Australian corporate whistleblowing regime has recently been significantly amended by the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Act 2019 (Cth), which was passed by the Federal parliament on 19 February 2019. That legislation comes into operation from 1 July 2019 and creates a large compliance burden for employers. To understand the legislation, new obligations […]
ReadmoreRelease of liability clauses: how far can they go?
It is a well-established legal principle that a release clause in a settlement deed will only be effective to the extent it releases a party from liability in respect of matters that are in the contemplation of the parties at the time it is provided. Notwithstanding this, it is not uncommon to see release clauses […]
ReadmoreHuman Rights Act – employment claims
The Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) (HRA), which is expected to commence operation on 1 January 2020, will materially influence public sector decision-making in Queensland by limiting the exercise of government power. It is essential for public entities to prepare for the new regime as it will place a magnifying glass over decision making. This […]
ReadmoreEmployment Lifecycle Series | Managing employees’ poor performance
You have successfully recruited the right candidate and prepared the new recruit for success through your effective and structured induction program. Unfortunately, employees do not always perform to the standard that is required or expected, or you may receive a complaint about an employee regarding an incident which can be regarded as misconduct. At this […]
ReadmoreTop 10 HR Issues of 2019
Over the past 12 months, a number of recent changes within the employment landscape have had a significant impact on HR teams across all industries. From casual employment and employment related class actions through to modern slavery reporting and the introduction of family and domestic violence leave, HR professionals will most certainly be challenged in […]
ReadmoreEmployment Lifecycle Series | Policies and Procedures
Further to our recent Lifecycle Series article about the importance of written employment contracts, employers should also be aware of the importance of other pieces of employment documentation, namely policies and procedures. This article sets out our tips for policies and procedures and getting them right. Click here to view full size pdf. Authored by: […]
ReadmoreModern Slavery: Reporting requirements have commenced
Further to our recent update, the modern slavery reporting requirements under the new Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) have now commenced. The legislation, which commenced on 1 January 2019, requires entities based, or operating, in Australia, which have an annual consolidated revenue of more than $100 million, to report annually on the risks of modern […]
ReadmoreNo second bite at the cherry for casual employees seeking leave entitlements: Government introduces new regulations to tackle “double dipping”
In response to last year’s landmark Full Federal Court decision, WorkPac Pty Ltd v Skene,[1] (see our earlier article here) the Government has introduced new regulations which allow employers, in certain circumstances, to offset the casual loading paid to an employee against certain entitlements that may otherwise be owed to the employee if they are […]
ReadmoreUpdate on Australia’s modern slavery reporting requirements
We recently published an update advising on Australia’s move to establishing comprehensive modern slavery legislation. The legislation proposed by the Federal government sought to establish a modern slavery reporting requirement, with its primary objective being to have businesses take proactive and effective actions to address modern slavery and to mitigate the risk of modern slavery […]
ReadmoreNew NES entitlement: Unpaid Domestic and Family Violence Leave
In its final flurry of legislative activity for 2018, the Federal parliament has today passed an amendment to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) that will enshrine the right for employees to take up to five days unpaid leave to deal with family and domestic violence. This amendment follows a decision in March this year […]
ReadmoreThe Fair Work Commission Tackles “Flexism”
In recent years, there has been a push to ensure employees are not subject to sexism, ageism and racism in the workforce. The new term ‘flexism’[1], has now taken the spotlight. The Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has recently handed down a decision considering ‘family friendly work arrangements’ as a part of […]
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