Working from home just got trickier
Employees who work from home to look after family, a sick child, to manage long commutes or to juggle other commitments is fairly common practice... but that...
What to do if your employee is on the 6pm news
A recent violent attack on police officers that splashed across national news has highlighted the need for better employment practices, particularly when a staff...
Five tips to ensure your interns don’t sue you
Internships can be a mixed bag. Done poorly and you have an intern twiddling their thumbs or doing work that really should be done...
Sexual harassment at work: How Small to medium businesses can deal with allegations
In light of recent allegations made against Rocky Horror Show star Craig McLachlan, it has become apparent that many employees feel that they aren’t...
Companies that offer to freeze their employees’ eggs risk opening ‘Pandora’s Box’, says lawyer
In the United States, it is becoming vogue for companies to pay for female employees to freeze their eggs, with the likes of Apple,...
Fair Work’s casual conversion decision: an overview, including steps for businesses
Casual workers will be given the right to convert to part-time or full-time employment, and receive new minimum engagement periods, the Fair Work Commission...
Uber flashes headlights on employment laws
Well known ride-sharing app, Uber, has been headlining publications globally as its company policies, CEO and business model are being called into question. Uber’s...
What happened on the weekend: Penalty rate cuts commenced, the minimum wage increased
Two decisions of the Fair Work Commission took effect on weekend – An immediate 3.3% increase in the minimum wage; and a staged variation...
Are your employees working overtime during the EOFY rush? If so, you must tread carefully
As the 2016-2017 financial year comes to an end, businesses are hastily tying up loose ends in preparation for the new financial year. Often...
The highest minimum wage increase since 2011… what does this mean for small businesses?
The Fair Work Commission today delivered its annual wage review. This decision will have a significant impact on all businesses and industries and over 2.3 million employees...
Sunday penalty rate cuts for hospitality, retail staff being phased in over three to four years
Sunday penalty rate reductions for employees covered by the Hospitality, Fast Food, Retail, Pharmacy and Restaurant Awards will be phased in over three to...
Unions NSW calls for gig providers to follow Airtasker’s lead following worker agreement
An agreement between Airtasker and Unions NSW aims to improve conditions for workers who use the online job-posting platform, according to reports.
In addition to updating...
How the Fair Work Commission’s penalty rate cuts will affect your business and employees
The Fair Work Commission recently ruled that Sunday and public holiday penalty rates will be reduced for full-time and part-time workers in the hospitality,...
Deutsche Bank bonus cuts: lessons for SMEs
Deutsche Bank of Germany recently decided to cut bonuses for local employees as it struggles to turn a profit in the wake of a...
Offshoring can reduce operational costs – but the process must be properly managed
In order to reap the benefits of offshoring non-core competencies, SMBs must effectively communicate the process to onshore staff while ensuring there is cultural...
Casual hours count towards redundancy pay
Australian employees will now have their casual employment calculated towards their redundancy entitlements as a result of a recent Fair Work Commission ruling.
The Fair...
What obligations do SMEs owe employees?
Starting up and successfully running a small business can certainly be overwhelming at times and it is of the utmost importance that you get...
First hire considerations for the entrepreneur
There comes a point when you can no longer go it alone. Forget flying solo. The time has come for your first hire, but...
Risks of legal non-compliance
Compliance and risk management don’t sound very attractive but they are crucial to having a sound business and are drivers to achieving business excellence...
What to consider when employing your first staff member
So your business has expanded and you are considering employing your first member of staff. However, you are not sure whether to employee a...