Employment

In recent years, the concept of workplace culture has come into the spotlight exposing some of Australia’s largest organisations, including the Australian Defence Force in 2013, and more recently during 2016, the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The recent independent review into the workplace culture of the AFP by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has …
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Restraint of trade clauses are often included in employment contracts, to restrain employees from certain activities which may threaten the business of the employer. Restraint of trade clauses are difficult to enforce, and may only be enforced to the extent necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate business interests. The types of actions that employers often …
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Upholding a respectful workplace: what can employers do to ensure that dismissals based on misconduct are not deemed unfair? There have been a number of recent cases relating to the termination of employees for misconduct relating to behaviours that could be considered improper, or not “politically correct”. Examples of such behaviour include: swearing and using …
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Every employer will at some point have to engage in a performance management process with staff who aren’t meeting the expected standards. As with any area of employee management, if performance management isn’t conducted effectively, an employee who does not improve may have successful grounds to challenge a termination. Many employers shy away from performance …
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Under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth), a person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that an adequate number of workers are trained to administer first aid at the workplace or that workers have access to an adequate number of other people who have been trained to administer first aid. Sounds simple …
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From time to time most organisations seek to end contracts before they are due to expire. Termination is the common method and at law there are four ways to terminate a contract: Where a contract gives you an express right; Where there is a breach of an essential  term; Where there is a sufficiently serious …
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A recent Fair Work Commission decision has reinforced the risks associated with making derogatory comments in the workplace and the importance of employees keeping any negative perceptions of other staff to themselves. In Louise Nesbitt v Dragon Mountain Gold Limited (U2014/285), Commissioner Cloghan was satisfied Ms Nesbitt had not been unfairly dismissed within the meaning …
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Employers have an obligation to provide a safe working environment for their employees. Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (ACT) (the Act) employers have a duty of care to take all reasonably practicable steps to manage and prevent health and safety risks in their workplace. Workplace bullying and harassment is one such risk. …
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Sexual harassment is covered under Division 3 Part II of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (‘the Act’). Section 28A of the Act defines sexual harassment very broadly, providing that a person sexually harasses another person if: a person makes an unwelcome sexual advance, an unwelcome request for sexual favours, or engages in other unwelcome conduct …
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