Employment Law
Zombie Companies – “cut the fat not the muscle” 6 Post JobKeeper tips for Employers
As we head towards the end of JobKeeper and the proverbial cliff for some companies – the term “Zombie Companies” spring to mind. What are “Zombie Companies” – those who are heavily reliant on the JobKeeper payments to pay for operational costs of the business but once the subsidies run dry will have difficulty running…
Read MoreLong needed IR changes lose the BOOT and 4 that are still in – Update for HR and Employers
We recently discussed the Government’s IR proposed changes in the article Loosening The BOOT Straps And 9 Other Industrial Relations Changes. There has finally been some movement in this regard with discussions with the cross-bench proving to be a major stumbling block. As an update the BOOT test changes have now been scrapped (well at…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Vaccinations are coming – what now? 5 Questions for Australian Employers to Consider.
A number of Employers now must consider the COVID-19 vaccination. In a previous article “Can Australian Employers force an Employee to get vaccinated?” we answered the question – yes (with some caveats) mainly around: Inherent requirements of the position Workplace health and safety obligations Reasonable and lawful directions Dealing with objections Dealing with objections around the inherent requirements of the position and medical grounds. We…
Read MoreWhat should Employers do with “side-hustle” employees? 4 ways to defend the business
The phenomenon of employees taking on “side hustle” projects or secondary projects is nothing necessarily new. The increase in secondary employment and multiple/diversified income streams has also been given a boost with the onset of COVID-19. A number of Employers have taken to terminating the employment of employees due to secondary employment or side hustle…
Read MoreWFH (Work from Home) what powers do HR and Employers have really? 3 Answers you need to know
COVID-19, lockdown, face masks, illness, border closures and work from home (WFH) and remote working. These words seem to go hand in hand in our current workplace in Australia. Some states and territories are still feeling the effects of the pandemic whilst other workplaces are starting to look towards getting people back to the office…
Read More$5.2 Million mistake – 2 reasons why CEOs need to be careful with dismissal
The workplace is going through numerous change, and dismissal of staff members especially more senior staff and more highly paid employees is highly likely. As rent relief, JobKeeper and Government funding start to end we will start to see a number of organisations make major decisions around executive teams, management and staff. Get these decisions wrong and it could cost a company $5.2 Million! $5.2 Million!…
Read MoreCan Australian Employers force an employee to get vaccinated? 3 Considerations from an Employment Lawyer
The answer is probably yes. Amid some false starts at some point and potentially in the near future a vaccine will be rolled out in Australia. The Federal Government have been clear to announce that the vaccine will be voluntary, leaving some Employers with ambiguity as to whether they can force an employee to be…
Read MoreLoosening the BOOT straps and 9 other Industrial Relations changes
The Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) is consideration by the Fair Work Commission whether a proposed Enterprise Agreement (EA) or Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) is better off overall than the applicable industrial award. A proposed bill is looking to change this and give more ability for Employers and the Fair Work Commission to pass EA’s and EBA’s with more…
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