The Demise of Enterprise Agreements – Is the Fair Work Commission to Blame?
I read with interest an article that appeared in The Australian on Friday 9 August 2019. That article was an opinion piece and commentary on the difficulties that businesses now face in trying to...
What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Dealing with Romances in the Workplace Has the #metoo era dimmed the enthusiasm of workers for workplace romance? When writing this article, Tina Turner’s words are echoing in my head. The #metoo...
Sexually Harassed by Colleague and Flawed Investigation Results in $150K damages
A woman has been awarded $150,000 in damages for a psychiatric injury after she was sexually harassed by a colleague. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) also heavily criticised...
Deputy President Slams the Abuse of Anti-Bullying Provisions
Deputy President Sams of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has dismissed a casino worker’s bullying application, warning it is not acceptable to use such claims as “a shield or stalking horse, to...
Instant Dismissal – care required
What is instant dismissal? Instant dismissal (also known as summary dismissal) permits an employer to terminate an employee’s employment immediately. That said, this is only permitted where an...
FWC Rejects Application to Merge with Hospitality Award and Reduce Penalty Rates for Clubs
In April, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) announced its decision in the application by Clubs Australia Industrial (CAI) to merge the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award with the Hospitality Award...
6 Reasons why performance reviews may not be adding value in your business
Performance management and annual reviews are often met with a fair amount of resistance. They are often not viewed as a process that adds value to the business. However, with the right attitude and...
The Increasing Pressure on HR to Get it Right
When HR gets it wrong, the stakes are high. From unfair dismissal findings against a business to vicarious liability, the Courts and Tribunals in recent years have been critical in their decisions...
Full Bench Decision Raises Concerns Over Finger Scanners – and Other Privacy Matters
A recent decision by the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) may seriously impact the way employers collect personal information from employees and use fingers scanners as a means of...