Fair Work Act Causes Confusion in Workplaces

Are you aware that the new Fair Work Act is the most important piece of workplace legislation for decades, and it changes everything! To minimise the effect of the Fair Work Act on your business, read on...

Since the Fair Work Act came in on 1 January 2010, sweeping changes have been made that are causing huge confusion in Australian workplaces. Here's just a sample...

• Changes to Unfair Dismissal legislation
  Survey results indicate that less than half of Australian employers properly understand the changes to unfair dismissal laws. Failing to follow the correct procedure when dismissing an employee could open you up to fines of more than $33,100.
• Modern Awards
  You may have a new obligation to pay overtime, leave loadings and or penalty rates or new minimum wages under a modern award - even if awards never applied to your employees in the past!
• The National Employment Standards
  Your employee's entitlements to unpaid parental leave have DOUBLED from 12 to 24 months and your employees can now request flexible working arrangements.
• Changes to Flexible Working Practices
  While workers have been able to request more flexible working hours or arrangements, what's new about this is that it makes it much harder for employers to refuse. Employers now face fines of up to $6,600 for non-compliance. How would it affect your business operation if a full time employee requested to modify their hours of work to conclude at 3:00pm each day?

Drake's new HR Help Desk.

Most small to Medium sized employers are frequently facing a number of HR critical related challenges. The problem is, most (SME's) don't have the luxury of large internal HR teams, like larger organisations, so often managements time is predominately spent dealing with operational people issues, rather than adding strategic long term value to the business.

Drake's HR Desk is a National Advisory Service to assist small-medium enterprises with quick solutions & advice over the phone.

HR Desk provides members with a broad range of accurate & commercially sound Human Resources/Industrial Relations advice/solutions including:

• Award interpretations & rates of pay
• Management of workers compensation claims
• Unfair dismissals advice & performance management
• HR policies & procedures
• Discrimination, Harassment & Workplace Bullying
• Organisational HR strategies

The HR Help Desk operates during standard business hours and offers affordable & flexible pricing options starting at only $99.00 per month. For further information or to speak to an Industrial Relations Specialist contact 03 9245 0287 or email hrsolutions@au.drakeintl.com