Legal

As a manager or human resources professional in the retail or quick service sectors, managing employee performance can easily fall by the wayside amongst the hustle and bustle of day-to-day operations. In many cases, poor performance will fester because employees have not been made aware of their poor performance issues,...

The entitlement to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave (FDV Leave) has now been extended to small business. Effective from 1 August 2023, small businesses must ensure that they are complying with their obligation to provide up to 10 days paid FDV Leave to their employees...

In the ordinary course of events, once an employee communicates their resignation to an employer, and the employer accepts the resignation, it is generally considered final, and the employee usually cannot retract it if they change their mind. But what happens if an employee resigns out of anger or frustration...

Employers in Victoria have until 11 August 2023 to destroy any COVID-19 Vaccination information they have recorded or held under the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccination Information) Regulations 2022 (the Regulations). Following the removal of vaccination requirements contained in “pandemic orders”, the regulations, which came in place on...

Of all employment types, part-time employment is the category with a notorious reputation for being inflexible and includes intricacies that, if not watched carefully, can catch employers out with unforeseen consequences. Consider this example, and how you would deal with this situation in your business: Jessie calls in sick the...

While we may only be halfway through the year, it is generally time to start planning for seasonal periods and how to best cover increased staffing needs. The general solution businesses turn to is enforcing blackout periods for their permanent staff and engaging casuals to cover the busy months....

Minimum wage increase – The Fair Work Commission will raise the National Minimum Wage to $882.80 per week or $23.23 per hour, along with a 5.75% increase to minimum award wages. The new rates will apply to affected workers starting from the first full pay period on or after 1...

In the realm of workplace relations, the expression ‘abandonment of employment’ has become synonymous with situations whereby an employee abruptly ceases to attend work for an extended period of time, without a valid explanation. While it may seem straightforward to conclude that an employee has indeed abandoned their employment, businesses...

As winter and the cold and flu season arrive, employers should be aware on how to appropriately manage employee absences. This article aims to provide practical insights and solutions to common questions, empowering businesses to effectively tackle the complexities of illness management in the workplace. Sending employees home If an employee...

Workplace investigations can be timely and complex. From undertaking initial enquiries to undertaking witness interviews, it is important to ensure that a procedurally fair process is undertaken to maintain the integrity of the investigation and to be able to confidently rely upon its outcomes in taking disciplinary action. To...

As the job market remains competitive and top talent hard to find, organisations are finding it more challenging to fill leadership positions with suitable candidates. Instead of looking to external sources, many employers are investing in developing their current employees' leadership skills. Developing leaders from within has many benefits,...

As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure the health and safety of your employees, not just in terms of physical health, but also in terms of mental health. An area of workplace health and safety legislation that has developed rapidly is how employers are expected to manage...

In conjunction with many other allowances that employees may be entitled to, ‘special clothing’ and laundry allowances can be confusing and often overlooked by businesses. In many instances, employers fall into the trap of believing that employees can simply claim such expenses on their tax returns. However, this common...