Our legal experts will keep you up to date on all relevant and current developments.
As part of the Closing Loopholes Act amendments, from 1 July 2024, all Modern Awards and newly made Enterprise Agreements will include a new standard clause prescribing that Workplace (site Union) Delegates will have the right to actively, directly represent the industrial interests of both union members and potential members in the workplace.
This includes the right of a Delegate to represent employees in disputes with their employer.
Recent court decisions mean that medical practices and consultant practitioners should speak with employment lawyers to ensure they aren’t hit with unexpected payroll tax because of how they engage practitioners.
Earlier today, the Fair Work Commission’s expert wage panel increased the National Minimum Wage and all rates in Modern Awards by 3.75%, commencing the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2024. This increase in minimum wages will coincide with the legislated rise in minimum superannuation contributions, increasing to 11.5%, on 1 July 2024.
A labour hire provider in NSW was recently ordered to pay a fine of $82,500 after one of its workers sustained injuries at a client's worksite. This article contains a summary of the case, including a summary of the duties owed by employers to their workers under the WHS Act. The case highlights the need for employers to work closely with workers, clients and other duty holders under the WHS Act to eliminate or respond to workplace risks.
The recent passage of the Federal Government’s Closing the Loopholes Bill (No. 2) introduced significant and controversial reforms, including the 'right to disconnect'. This article addresses what is the right to disconnect and what are the expectations.
The Fair Work Legislative Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 has been split, with the first part of the Bill passing the Senate this afternoon. The remaining section that passed through the House of Representatives last week will proceed to the Senate in early 2024. To assist employers prepare for the proposed changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (‘the Act’) Holman Webb has highlighted the key amendments (from a total of over 80 proposed changes), which will likely have the greatest impact.
Holman Webb is pleased to announce that eleven lawyers have been included in the 2024 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia, and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Australia. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.
In July 2022, Safe Work Australia released a new Code of Practice concerning the management of psychosocial hazards at work. This document is very similar to a Code released by SafeWork NSW in May 2021. These Codes require employers to take active steps to manage psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Holman Webb expects that these Codes may well cause significant tension within the workplace, as they not only consider equipment and processes for doing work, they also relate to the way that staff and managers interact, and how abstract concepts such as workload and communications are managed in a way that protects workers.
The Codes are not only important for guiding employers on practices relating to the maintenance of safe workplaces – it is likely that these two Codes will form the framework through which psychological injury claims will be made and judged. As such, it is necessary for employers to have a strong understanding of these Codes.
This two-part blog series will answer:
In July 2022, Safe Work Australia released a new Code of Practice concerning the management of psychosocial hazards at work. This document is very similar to a Code released by SafeWork NSW in May 2021. These Codes require employers to take active steps to manage psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Holman Webb expects that these Codes may well cause significant tension within the workplace, as they not only consider equipment and processes for doing work, they also relate to the way that staff and managers interact, and how abstract concepts such as workload and communications are managed in a way that protects workers.
The Codes are not only important for guiding employers on practices relating to the maintenance of safe workplaces – it is likely that these two Codes will form the framework through which psychological injury claims will be made and judged. As such, it is necessary for employers to have a strong understanding of these Codes.
Part II in this series will answer:
The passage of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth) has brought about significant changes to the obligation on employers to provide Flexible Working Arrangements. Holman Webb foreshadowed these changes in our October 2022 article The Future of Flexible Work: Amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009.
In this article, we will discuss the specific changes.
The changes come into force on 6 June 2023. It is important that employers consider the changes, given the prevalence of flexible working arrangements in the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns