Topics: Workplace relations and safety

In Wearne v State of Victoria [2017] VSC 25, the Supreme Court of Victoria highlighted the importance of a proactive response from employers who become aware of a specific risk of harm to an employee.

In Chalker v Murrays Australia Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCATAD 112, a bus and coach charter company was ordered to pay a job candidate $10,000 compensation for discriminating against him during the recruitment process on the basis of his mental illness.

For an employer, managing employees who are experiencing a mental health condition in the workplace can be challenging.

It’s important that all employers have a policy in place to manage any risk to their business by employee use of social media. In this informative video, Partner Belinda Winter outlines the key things employers should consider when implementing an effective social media policy in the workplace.

The #MeToo movement may empower employees to raise sexual harassment allegations. These allegations may be both historic and recent. This poses an important question for employers: Will the current avalanche of sexual harassment allegations toppling prominent men in media and government cascade down to my workplace?

Enterprise bargaining, in some shape or form, has been a part of the Australian Industrial Relations framework since 1993. However, if the trends reported in recent data about agreement making are any indicator, enterprise bargaining is now facing a period of decline.

The recent cases of Saeid Khayam v Navitas English Pty Ltd t/a Navitas English [2017] FWCFB 5162 and Skene v Workpac Pty Ltd [2016] FCCA 3035 put employers on notice about entitlements and rights for temporary and casual workers under the Fair Work Act

In this video, Partner Belinda Winter explains how formal employment contracts can allow employers to establish terms that will protect, and ultimately benefit, their business.

In a recent decision, the Federal Court of Australia found that a married couple that worked from home for 10 years were employees rather than independent contractors.

On 15 September 2017, the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Act 2017 (Amendment Act) came into effect, arming the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) with greater investigative and enforcement powers, targeting franchisors and holding companies, and significantly increasing penalties in order to protect the underpayment and exploitation of vulnerable workers.

In the recent Federal Circuit Court decision of Australian Building and Construction Commissioner v Dig It Landscapes Pty Ltd [2017] FCCA 2128, Judge Vasta made some scathing remarks about the conduct of the CFMEU on a Brisbane construction site.