The commonwealth government has introduced a paid parental leave scheme for all eligible Australians. The scheme is scheduled to begin 1 January 2011 and YOU NEED to be aware of your obligations.
While nothing is set in concrete the government recently released draft legislation which is expected to be passed soon. Basically the scheme provides primary caregivers of newborn children with 18 weeks paid parental leave.
Some of the details are:
There will be a phasing in period of 6 months where the draft indicated that the employer will not be required to pay the caregiver and where the caregiver will claim directly from the Family Assistance Office. You will be required to pay eligible primary caregivers from 1 July 2011.
The introduction of Fair Work has brought about many changes that an employer is required to keep abreast of and ensure compliance with.
Most employment agreements are now out of date and now may be a good time to bring your agreements up to date. There are significant penalties for non compliance.
Consider the following;
Do your agreements provide an acknowledgement that the employee has the right to work in Australia.
Under Fair Work there is no statutory limit as to how long a verbal or written warning remains valid. However as a general rule, depending on the severity of the circumstances and the event one to six months is appropriate. In considering warnings there are some things an employer should consider;
Ensure the confidentiality of the warning process as being between only those parties that have involvement in the process.
Employee participation in unions has grown as more employees turn to unions to assist them in improving their pay and conditions. Employers need to be educated about how, when, why and if unions become part of their workplace what their obligations are. Call us to see how we can assist your business ensure that it complies with its employment obligations. Call us on 61 7 3349 5662 working Australia wide
In recent days Fair Work Australia has recovered significant amounts of employee entitlements underpaid to employees.
It is vitally important to ensure that you pay your employees correctly and that you understand your obligations surrounding termination of employment including payment of notice periods, redundancy payments, severance payment s to name a few.
Biz Momentum can assist you with determining what you must pay your employees and assist you safely navigate Fair Work requirements.
Recent recoveries by Fair Work included:
$16,900 for two Fortitude Valley cleaners underpaid their redundancy entitlements
$16,000 for a Kangaroo Point educator underpaid wages in lieu of notice and accrued annual leave on termination of employment
$7400 for a Indooroopilly food and beverage assistant underpaid hourly overtime and penalty rates
$7300 for a manager in the CBD underpaid severance pay
“There’s a dramatic change in the workplace today which should be a major concern to every HR department and boardroom.” (the Australian) It is being widely reported that many managers and workers are intending to move. Many believe that their sacrifices during the GFC have gone unrewarded.
Unless employers took action, companies risked losing their most talented employees and would be forced to pay the higher costs of recruiting new staff.
Employees rated being well rewarded along with development opportunities as being their top two choices.
There are strategies you can take to retain valuable employees and at Biz Momentum we can assist you in this process.
Contact us at (INFO ( AT ) BIZ-MOMENTUM.COM) OR TELEPHONE US ON 61 7 3349 5662. Biz Momentum operates Australia wide.
Unfortunately the National Employment Standards and Fair Work do not allow for unpaid foster parent leave such as would apply for normal parental leave entitlements and arrangements.
Employers can allow their employees’ to take leave without pay however they are not obliged or required to do so. For further assistance contact Biz Momentum 07 3349 5662
It’s vital that everyone in your organisation has a written outline of their role; a position description.
Position descriptions clarify what you can ask your employees to do AND give you the back-up you need if they refuse to follow your instructions.
With the introduction of modern awards as at 1 January 2010 there are detailed classifications that apply to your business when remunerating your employees. If your position descriptions are incorrect you could find yourself subject to claims for backpay.
Writing detailed position descriptions can be time consuming and costly. We at Biz Momentum have developed a suite of Job Descriptions that comply with legislation, pre-written and cost effective.
Contact us today to see how we can assist you. www.biz-momentum.com (T) 07 33495662 or email info (AT) biz-momentum.com ‘We service you whereever you are located’.
There seems to be some confusion within the Chiropractic Profession in respect to the new modern award ‘the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2010’.
We at Biz Momentum have assisted practices safely navigate the requirements of these changes resulting from award coverage and the new Fair Work Act.
You can help yourself by contacting us www.biz-momentum.com (T) 61 7 3349 5662 (M) 61 409 002 365 We work Australia wide.