Biz Momentum Blog

In conjunction with the National Institute of Accountants and Biz Momentum we are conducting the following seminars in Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania.

For further information and to register for these events please visit the NIA on www.nia.org.au

Emergency services leave is part of the entitlement to ‘community services leave’ that appears in the National Employment Standards (NES). The relevant sections of the Fair Work Act 2009 are ss108–112.

A permanent full-time or part-time employee is entitled to be absent from work to attend an ‘eligible community service activity’, which includes a ‘voluntary emergency service activity’.

The emergency service activity is eligible if the following conditions are met:

• The activity involves dealing with an emergency or natural disaster — floods meet this requirement, as do bushfires, major storm damage and major accidents.
• The employee engages in the activity as a volunteer (although he/she may still receive an honorarium, gratuity or similar type of ‘payment’).
• The employee is a member of a ‘recognised emergency management body’. This is defined as a body set up as part of a government-prepared plan for coping with emergencies or disasters, and whose main functions involve rescue, securing public safety, protecting property or otherwise responding to an emergency/disaster.
• Either the emergency service organisation requested the employee to take part in the emergency service activity or, if no request was actually made, it would have been reasonable to expect a request to be made if possible to do so. 
• The organisation is otherwise prescribed by Regulations to be eligible.

 Absence from work that is covered includes the following:

• the period of actual engagement in dealing with the emergency
• reasonable travelling time to and from the site of the emergency
• reasonable rest time to allow the employee to recover from the activity.

Source BSW Business Chamber

Chiropractors you must at a minimum understand the following to protect your business.

1.    Ordinary hours are from 6am to 6pm Monday to Friday. You are not considered a Medical practice which has preferential ordinary hours.

2.    Employees who work outside these hours are considered shift workers in some circumstances and you must pay them a 15% loading on all hours worked that shift. E.g. Employee commences 2pm and finishes 6.30pm a 15% loading is paid on each hour.

3.    Saturday work is paid at penalty rates e.g. time and one half and double time.

4.    Associates cannot be paid an all up rate or a percentage of revenue invoiced by the Associate.

5.    This exposes you to penalty rates, paid annual leave and other benefits you must pay.

6.    Your Chiropractic Assistants working reasonably predictable hours are considered permanent part-time employees and cannot be paid as casuals anymore.

7.    Most Chiropractors (97%) in Australia are in major breach of the new Health Professionals and Support Services Award. This leaves you open to serious risks, fines and penalties. Fines per breach can amount to $33,000.

We at Biz Momentum have developed products and services that assist you in keeping employees as casuals as well as employing Associates in a manner that will not cost you any more than you are currently paying them

For further information ring the Chiropractic Employee Relations Specialists Biz Momentum. We have Chiropractors in every state and territory of Australia.

Contact: 07 3349 5662 for solutions to your unique requirements.

Allsopp Accountants is sponsoring a seminar on understanding your employee obligations on Wednesday 25 August 2010.  

Philip Lye from Biz Momentum will present this practical seminar. For further information please download the two (2) attachments.

Understanding you Employee Obligations Invitation

Topics and Speaker

Biz Momentum has developed a comprehensive employment agreement for Chiropractic Associates that comply with the requirements of Fair Work and the Heath Professions and Support Services Award.

Chiropractors can no longer employ Associates on common law agreements based on an all up rate or a percentage of fees however we have designed a compliant agreement that achieves the same outcome with certain changes.

We have Chiropractors in every state and territory of Australia and are specialists with a vast knowledge of the profession. For further information call +61 7 3349 5662.