October is National Safe Work Month, so we’re asking you to take five and think about safety in your business. In this final update for the month, special counsel Gemma Sharp talks about creating safe and healthy work for all in the rapidly changing Australian workplace.
October is National Safe Work Month, so we’re asking you to take five and think about safety in your business. This week, special counsel Gemma Sharp talks about the management of health and safety risks and the steps you need to take to prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace.
October is National Safe Work Month, so we’re asking you to take five and think about safety in your business. This week, partner Belinda Winter looks at managing psychosocial hazards and risks in your workplace.
October is National Safe Work Month, so we’re asking you to take five and think safety in your business. This week, special counsel Gemma Sharp looks at common health and safety risks in the workplace and steps organisations can take to keep their workers safe.
The national Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Laws were recently amended, with states and territories likely to implement changes in the near future.
The national minimum wage will increase to $812.60 per week (or $21.38 an hour) from 1 July 2022. The weekly rate is based on a 38-hour week for a full-time employee. This constitutes an increase of 5.2%, which is $40 per week or $1.05 an hour.
The recent case of Lees v Asaleo Personal Care Pty Ltd (No 2) [2022] FedCFamC2G 264, serves as an important reminder that employers found to have taken adverse action against employees can be liable to pay large sums in compensation and penalties.
The Fair Work Commission has confirmed its power to make an order preventing systematic sexual harassment in a workplace cannot extend to circumstances where there is no ongoing risk that the harassment would continue.
Employers have a duty of care to introduce safeguards in order to protect their employees. In Cavanagh v Manning Valley Race Club Ltd [2022] NSWCA 36, the Court of Appeal found that an employer’s failure to introduce safeguards such as rear-view mirrors or rear cameras amounted to a breach of their duty of care. This case highlights the importance of employers taking reasonable steps to prevent reasonably foreseeable harm to employees. The Court emphasised that by doing nothing, rather than introducing relatively simple safeguards, an employer will breach their duty, and will liable to pay damages for harm suffered by employees.
The Fair Work Commission has recently confirmed that non-work related misconduct can provide employers with valid grounds for dismissal where the misconduct reflects an employee’s inability to properly discharge their employment obligations.
A recent Federal Court decision serves as an important reminder to exercise due care when discussing the contents of privileged investigation reports in order to preserve any future claims of legal professional privilege.
Do you engage subcontractors? Are those contracts exempt from payroll tax? Have you checked the employment agent provisions? The recent stream of cases shows that the employment agent provisions are not just for employment agents or labour hire companies.