LinkedIn or “LockedOut”? Policies and restraints on employee use of Social Media

Posted by | Articles, Dispute Resolution & Advocacy, HR Advice & Support, Industrial Relations, Restraints of Trade, Training & Compliance | No Comments

By Mark Cox, Director and Lauren Wright, Lawyer 

LinkedIn is one example of how new technologies and social media “disruptors” are intercepting with the workplace in ways that challenge our traditional notions of employment rights and obligations.

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Maximum term employees may be entitled to make unfair dismissal claims and be paid redundancy

Posted by | Terminations, Unfair Dismissals & Adverse Action | No Comments

By Mark Cox, Director and Lauren Wright, Lawyer

A maximum term contract is a contract which automatically ends at the expiry of a specified period while giving either party the right to terminate prior to the specified expiry by giving notice. This can be contrasted with a fixed term contract, which is also for a specified period but which does not make provision for early termination.

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What are your business’ New Year’s workplace relations resolutions?

Posted by | Articles, Contracts, Discrimination & Bullying, Dispute Resolution & Advocacy, HR Advice & Support, Industrial Relations, Terminations, Unfair Dismissals & Adverse Action | No Comments

By Nikita Barsby, Special Counsel 

HRD Australia recently reported that the success rate of Australian employers in unfair dismissal cases has dropped below 40% for the first time – while these remain the claim of choice for employees, with an unfair dismissal claim lodged every three and a half minutes in Australia.1

We expect hot topics for workplaces will include managing poor performance and bullying and stress claims, avoiding award or NES breach claims (and the risk of huge new penalties) or discrimination claims.

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External advisers and HR managers accessorily liable for breaches of the Fair Work Act as penalties for breaches intensify on small businesses

Posted by | HR Advice & Support, Industrial Relations, Performance Management & Misconduct Investigations | No Comments

By MDC Legal

In a recent decision of the Federal Circuit Court an external accountant who advised a business on its employee arrangements was held liable under the accessorial provisions of the Fair Work Act. This decision is a red flag to external advisors who are closely involved with HR, payroll and employee entitlements of employer businesses.

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Performance and Conduct Issues for Employees Raising Mental Illness

Posted by | Articles, HR Advice & Support, Performance Management & Misconduct Investigations | No Comments

By Nikita Barsby, Special Counsel 

Around 45% of Australians aged between 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, and 1 in 5 Australian adults will experience a mental illness in any given year.[1]  Therefore, it is very likely that from time to time an employer will need to performance manage an employee who is experiencing a mental illness.

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