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It is important that you have updated employment contracts, policies and procedures to ensure you are prepared for and compliant with the new industrial relations laws. Here’s how you could be affected: Right to Disconnect: Your sector needs to prepare for the challenges posed by the new Right to Disconnect

Positive duty requirements under Respect@Work laws require employers to satisfy a set of seven standards to remain compliant. We step you through them.  Under Respect@Work laws, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has the power to enforce positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984.  By Law, employers must take reasonable and proportionate measure to eliminate

It is imperative that employers communicate their expectations and policies on appropriate behavior with all employees before hosting a Christmas work event. This is because Christmas festivities and other work functions can unfortunately be a hotspot for sexual harassment. Employers should be aware of risks, and their responsibilities, especially the

The Minimum Income Threshold Amount (MITA) is a provision that exists under the Real Estate Industry Award 2020 (Award) for commission-only salespersons. The MITA sets a minimum income threshold that must be met by the salesperson in order for them to be entitled to receive commissions. Under the Award, commission-only salespersons are

Home opens have been a part of buying or renting a house for over a hundred years. You advertise a property, people turn up, and then you (hopefully) get some offers. Rinse and repeat. While homes have changed substantially since the 1910s thanks to advances in construction, home opens have

The first tranche of the Federal Government’s privacy reforms is before Parliament, with automated decision-making, overseas data flows and new “anti-doxxing” measures among the proposed changes.  The landmark Privacy and other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 also addresses children’s privacy and introduces a new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy.  The Bill

Ever since WA’s WHS Act came in earlier this year, we’ve been asked many times: How do I show due diligence? This is because WA’s WHS Act has made it administratively easier to prosecute company officers. Nowadays, a company doesn’t have to be convicted of an offence to be prosecuted.

As of December 6, 2023, certain fixed-term contracts are unlawful under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act).   Our employment lawyers explain the new rules and what businesses need to consider when using fixed-term contracts for their employees.  What is a fexed-term contract and what has changed? A fixed-term contract

The Real Estate Employers’ Federation of WA (REEFWA) contract templates have recently undergone a number of changes to align with the recent  (and upcoming) IR reforms. These changes include but are not limited to: The new employee workplace “right to disconnect“; The new pay secrecy laws; June 2022 changes to

The next tranche of changes under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2023 (Cth) are coming into effect as of 26 August 2024. It is imperative that businesses understand these changes now so that they can adequately prepare for when the changes take effect. Definition of

All businesses who employ staff should have at least a few key HR Polices in place to support the workplace culture and ensure legislative compliance. This is particularly important given the changing industrial relations environment and upcoming changes occurring through the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act

The Commission has announced that minimum award wages will increase by 3.75%. This increase will apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2024. This means if your weekly pay period starts on Wednesday, the new rates will apply from Wednesday 3 July 2024. REEFWA