It is an unfortunate, but common occurrence, for employees to be injured in the workplace and entitled to some form of workers’ compensation. It can be a stressful and difficult time – for both the injured worker and the employer – and needs to be managed carefully, considerately and properly. On behalf of some clients, […]
What is intellectual property and what are some types of intellectual property? The best way to describe what intellectual property actually is, in a general sense, is to say that it results from someone using their mind or intellect to create something new or original. The issue then flows, what can be done to protect […]
Workforce participation and raising children are two very significant and crucial things that a lot of us do, so it’s important to know there are laws in place to help the two ‘jobs’ co-exist. Employees and employers have rights and responsibilities relating to pregnancy, parental leave and return to work under several different pieces of […]
What is a workplace policy? A workplace policy is a set of rules and principles guiding expected behaviours of employees. Policies can cover areas such as bullying and harassment in the workplace, social media use and work, health and safety, (WHS) to name just a few. The policies should be customised to suit the particular […]
In a recent survey conduct by a multinational professional services firm based in Australia, it has been determined that many Australian organisations are not prepared to meet the increased threat of cyber-attacks. In a report titled, ‘Perspectives on Cyber Risk 2017’ (‘the Cyber Report’) it was reported that 18 per cent of respondents said that […]
The workplace romance – exciting, intriguing, risky? Some recent high profile media cases have brought this topic to the fore, highlighting many serious legal issues such as breach of fiduciary duty, conflicts of interest, breach of workplace health and safety obligations, damage to reputation and constructive dismissals. A multi-platform media company was dragged through the […]
On 23 February 2017, the Fair Work Commission made a landmark decision ruling to vary Sunday and public holiday penalty rates. The ruling directs a reduction of penalty rates for permanent and casual employees paid under awards for retail, fast food, hospitality and pharmacy industries. These reductions include reducing the Sunday penalty rates from double […]
In the digital age, the ease of recording someone or some act or thing has never been easier. In the workplace setting, many employers monitor and record the actions of employees, to check for any breaches of company policy and procedure, to ensure that appropriate standards of behaviour are being met and that company property, […]
As business ebbs and flows, an important consideration for any owner or operator is how to manage staff in the event of a downturn. The reality for many businesses is that in tough times, a strategic downsize in staff levels via redundancy is necessary in order to maintain the operation of the business. In the […]
Be clear about the arrangement to avoid legal consequences. When that bright-eyed, eager student shows up on your doorstep offering their time and skills for free in exchange for the experience of working with you – it sounds like a win win situation. However, are unpaid internships too good to be true? Internship and unpaid […]
