Biz Momentum Blog

An Adelaide company that employed two (2) employees was fined $288,000 for underpaying their two (2) workers less than $4,000.

Many business owners still continue to keep being surprised by the veracity of claims against them and the courts are continuing to take a tough line with employers they believe are deliberately flouting the law.

Employers need to be extra careful about industrial relations compliance and understand that it is not an easy exercise to remain vigilant and up to date with the many changes in addition to complying with modern awards.

Biz Momentum provides employers and businesses with expert advice in each state and territory – get the facts on 07 3349 5662.

Did you know your employees do not have a statutory right to a smoke break in the workplace?

Have you ever added up the cost of the loss of productivity of smoking in your workplace?  You may be very surprised. What seems to be a 10 minute break often rolls into 20 minutes.

Consider doing the following:

• Have a policy that clearly states that smoking is confined to rest breaks and not your time.
• Set out why the policy is in force, (e.g. Health & Safety).
• Specify where employees are allowed to smoke and where they are not. (Different states have different requirements).
• Identify who is responsible for enforcing the policy.
• Outline what the consequences of not complying with the policy are.

For further assistance please contact Biz Momentum. We have clients in all states and territories of Australia and advise some international clients. (T) 61 7 3349 5662 (m) +61 409 002 365

Biz Momentum has been assisting the transport industry for some time and has developed a policies and procedures manual specifically for the transport industry that comprises human resource and health and safety policies and procedures.

This manual can be tailored to your business and comes with accident / incidents reports, checklists, employment agreements, forms and letters.

We have assisted employers with termination of employment issues, diminished performance and remuneration matters. We have enabled transport businesses to minimise their employment risks as well as placing strategies in place to ensure employee compliance while providing hands on mentoring and assistance.

Contact us for further assistance and to see how we can assist you minimise your risks.

We have clients Australia wide.

An employee was recently awarded $466,000 plus 90% legal costs for sexual harassment by her employer.

Incidence of sexual harassment is increasing in today’s marketplace and legislation requires that you have policies and procedures to manage these complaints, to manage grievances in a timely and unbiased manner or you will pay the penalty.

Biz Momentum conduct Sexual Harassment investigations and can assist you minimise your risks.

You are urged to take action to protect your business interests.

Reasonable additional hours are additional hours worked each week in access of 38 (or agreed or usual weekly hours for permanent part-time employees’ or casuals) that are considered reasonable after certain factors have been taken into account.

You must consider all the relevant circumstances before deciding if additional hours are reasonable. Some considerations may be:

• Are there any health and safety factors in the employee working additional hours?
  
• Has the employee certain commitments that would be unreasonable for them to forgo? (more…)

  Posted in Policies you must have, Risk Management, Agreements, Employee Entitlements, Enterprise Flexibility, Culture, Awards | No Comments »