Message from the CEO: 5 December 2017

After what seems like an eternity, the penalty rates issue flared again this week, after the Senate passed measures to reverse the decision of the independent umpire, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to reduce Sunday and public holiday rates. Labor teamed up with the Greens and some crossbenchers to pass amendments to the Government’s bill, […]

Retailers to the Senate – “Stop moving the goalposts on penalty rates”

The National Retail Association has demanded the Senate stop moving the goalposts on employment, saying constant threats of disruption to Fair Work arrangements were a massive disincentive to employment. The Senate is scheduled to vote this week on Labor Party amendments which would knobble the independent umpire Labor set up to management workplace relations under […]

Franchise Privacy

FRANCHISORS – CAN YOU ACCESS YOUR FRANCHISEE’S EMPLOYMENT RECORDS TO CONDUCT FAIR WORK COMPLIANCE AUDITS? With the recent amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to protect vulnerable workers, many franchisors are considering what they can do to protect themselves from liability for contraventions to the Fair Work Act by their franchisees. A key […]

Vulnerable Workers Bill amendments: what you need to know

On Tuesday 5 September 2017, the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Bill 2017 was passed with amendments by both houses of Parliament. The Bill was given Royal Assent by the Governor-General on 14 September 2017, becoming an Act (the VW Act) which will re-write parts of the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act). In brief, the VW Act: […]

QLD Alert: Changes to Work Health Safety Laws

As a result of the Queensland Government’s “Improving Safety for Queenslanders at Work” Policy, Work Health and Safety laws in Queensland have changed effective 22 October 2015. The amendments to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 are as follows: WHS entry permit holders allowed to enter a workplace immediately if they suspect a contravention […]