Crucial Employee Management Tips For Small Businesses On a recent episode of Small Business Banter, Natasha Hawker and Michael Kerr discuss pivotal strategies for small business owners aiming to optimise employee management and drive growth. This insightful conversation delves into the transformative impact of exceptional HR practices, navigating today’s employment landscape, and essential considerations when […]
Fair Work have announced a 3.75% Minimum Wage Increase – Here is all you need to know. As usual at this time of year, the Fair Work Commission has made its ruling on increases to the minimum wage and all other Award pay rates. The increase applies to anyone who is paid minimum award wages […]
Newcastle GP says unnecessary appointments for medical certificates are wasting doctors’ time. Natasha Hawker was interviewed on ABC Radio Newcastle to discuss a recent topic where a Newcastle GP, Dr. Max Mollenkopf, advocates for employers to stop requiring medical certificates for employees to take time off work. Dr. Mollenkopf argues that these requirements take valuable […]
In the face of current economic challenges, it’s critical that business owners and people leaders invest in their employees and their people management. Watch this online session to learn how taking an employee-centred approach to your budget is vital to surviving & thriving in FY25, including: How to restructure – not fracture – your business […]
Legal Consequences Unveiled: Employer’s Contact with Sick Leave Employee Leads to Compensation Order In a recent interview on Sunrise Channel 7, Natasha Hawker, Managing Director of Employee Matters, delved into the implications of a compensation order issued to an Australian employer. This employer was directed to pay 10 months’ backpay and ongoing workers’ compensation to […]
Employees in Australia could soon double their annual leave at half pay under new ACTU proposal Employee Matters’ Managing Director, Natasha Hawker, is back on Sunrise, the Channel 7 Breakfast show, to discuss a new initiative regarding annual leave entitlements. A proposal by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) could allow many Australian workers […]
Embracing Flexibility in Remote Work Is this the end of the 9 to 5? A new push aims to let parents choose their work hours, helping Aussie families spend more time together. Key employer associations urge the Fair Work Commission to remove restrictions on set shifts and minimum pay for remote workers. They stress the […]
Employee relations legislation changes are impacting all businesses of all sizes. Are you prepared to meet the new requirements? Recent changes to ER legislation are the most significant since the introduction of the Fair Work Act. Strategic financial management is crucial for businesses to remain adaptable and agile in this changing landscape, to minimise risk and maximise financial outcomes. Findex has partnered with Employee Matters to bring clarity on […]
In a recent episode of Small Biz Matters, Natasha Hawker discussed the impact of Australia’s new Industrial Relations (IR) landscape on small businesses. Challenges Faced by Small Businesses Small businesses are struggling with the new legislation changes, often unaware or prioritising survival over compliance. Natasha stresses the need for proactive steps despite the challenges. Key […]
Introduced to Parliament in March 2023, the Fair Work Amendment ‘Right to Disconnect’ Bill 2023 aims to prevent employers from contacting employees outside of their designated working hours. This legislation would relieve employees from the obligation to read or respond to work-related communications beyond their work hours. In a brief interview on Sunrise, Natasha Hawker […]
It took four years for Melbourne’s Antony Balmain to finally receive unpaid wages from his previous employer. The media and communications professional had worked at the Red Cross, which applied the wrong award or enterprise agreement to employees and incorrectly classified employees, resulting in a range of minimum rates and entitlements. “It was an unsavoury […]
From 6 March, 2023, the The Fair Work Act will prohibit sexual harassment in connection with work, which includes the workplace. You might be thinking:, “isn’t this already prohibited? It is in our business …” and so maybe nothing much has to change? The changes in Fair Work and the implementation of all fifty five […]
Update: Download the free guide! Click here to download the 2023 Employee Relations Compliance Guide:
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Fair Work Commission has made a determination to make temporary variations to 99 Awards. The changes come in response to the Fair Work Commission identifying a regulatory gap between COVID-19 public health and government directives and the protections an employee has under the Fair Work Act. The variations […]
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and, in particular to support some of the hardest hit industries, the Fair Work Commission has approved temporary changes to the Clerks, Hospitality and Restaurant Awards. This follows joint applications for these changes made by employer groups and unions. The welcome changes allow employers flexibility in applying a temporary […]
Do you pay your employees an “all up amount” annualised salary? For some awards there are significant changes on the way in 2020. Is your business ready? As part of the four yearly review of modern awards, the Fair Work Commission handed down a decision impacting annualised wage (salary) provision changes for certain Awards. When […]
By Catherine Tratsellas As we have highlighted in previous articles, a recent Federal Court of Australia decision found that employers who incorrectly classify and pay employees as casual, instead of full-time or part-time, could be responsible for backpaying various entitlements (e.g. annual leave) under the National Employment Standards (NES). However, the case did not that […]
By Paul Ackerman Following a recent decision by the Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards have been amended effective August 2018 to give employees access to five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave each year. This followed a campaign run by the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and supported by the 2015 Australian of […]
By Paul Ackerman The Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review decision came into effect from 1 July 2018. The decision delivered a 3.5% increase to both the national minimum wage and the minimum wage for all modern awards. The new national minimum wage will move to $719.20 per week or $18.93 per hour. This represents […]
By Paul Ackerman In recent months the Fair Work Ombudsman has begun auditing one thousand businesses across Australia as part of a new campaign to ensure employers have the basics right in their workplaces. Whilst many business owners may think they are doing everything necessary to meet their obligations, preliminary findings from the Workplace Basics […]
Does this Impact Your Business? The Fair Work Commission has handed down its annual wage review decision delivering a 3.5% increase to both the national minimum wage and the minimum wage for all Modern Awards. The increases will come into effect from 1 July 2018. The Detail Today’s decision increases the national minimum wage by 3.5%. The new national […]
By Kate Renton, Employee Expert The Fair Work Ombudsman has begun to audit 1000 businesses across Australia, as part of a new campaign to make sure employers have the basics right in their workplaces. Your business could be one of their targets. The Workplace Basics campaign will see Fair Work Inspectors assist businesses with […]
It’s Friday afternoon and Christine, who has a series of documented performance failures, is about to be dismissed by you. You are by no means looking forward to this awkward conversation, but can be comforted by the knowledge that you have complied with your obligations thus far — and that Christine has decided to accept […]
It’s Friday afternoon and Christine, who has a series of documented performance failures, is about to be dismissed by you. You are by no means looking forward to this awkward conversation, but can be comforted by the knowledge that you have complied with your obligations thus far — and that Christine has decided to accept […]
You may have recently heard about the 7-Eleven debacle where a store owner was fined more than $400k (the largest penalty to date) for systematically exploiting his workers. He paid his workers as little as only $13 per hour and then falsified records in his payroll system. After being caught, he started to back-pay his […]
We recently had a new client approach us after an employee had alleged that there had been a breach of a general work protection, involving unfair dismissal, under the Fair Work Act 2009. Background The client was issued with an F8A response form by the Fair Work Commission which he was required to complete and […]
The other day my burgeoning grey hairs sent me on a much overdue trip to the hairdresser for some TLC. As usual, I engaged in a bit of chit chat with my hairdresser, a lady in her mid-twenties. We were chatting about part-time work for teenagers as my very motivated 13 year old is already […]
Let’s face it, no one wants to end up in front of the Fair Work Commissioner facing lengthy and expensive legal wrangles so I wanted to put this into perspective for you by getting you to answer some questions……. For full article click Here
Recently, FWA ruled that Home Choice had unfairly dismissed an employee who had emailed the entire company calling his MD a name (rhyming with banker!) and stating that one of his hobbies was masturbation. Pretty extreme I would say, so why couldn’t they fire him and what can we learn from this case? Culture – […]
Employment Relations can be a complex area and, let’s face it – it can be hard to keep up with all the legislation changes on top of everything else you need to stay on top of as a business owner. Here are five of the myths that I hear from business owners: I pay above […]
So what is personal leave? Sounds like secret women’s business to me. What is flexible working? Does that mean flexi-time? What is NES? Do I need to know, should I care? The answer to all these questions is yes! Back on 1/1/2010 when Fair Work Act legislation came into play so did the National Employment […]
You are growing and you have decided to bring on your first permanent employee – you feel great but, be honest, a bit nervous? When you talk to entrepreneurs, this stage of business is what terrifies them most – being someone’s boss; responsible for pay, ER legislation and recruitment and then what happens if it […]