by Rob Stevenson | 9 May 2024 | Bulletin
We are seeing a period of significant change in the rights, obligations and benefits associated with employment (and small contracting and gig) relationships. Amongst the changes being considered by the federal government is a restriction on the use of contractual non...
by Rob Stevenson | 11 April 2024 | Bulletin
Casual employment has had a difficult history in the law, swinging between common law and statutory regulation in recent years. Further changes will come into force from 26 August 2024. The essential feature of casual employment is its inherent uncertainty, whether...
by Rob Stevenson | 21 March 2024 | Bulletin
Recent attention on the right to disconnect means it is a good time to revisit the underlying requirements of hours of work. The Fair Work Act National Employment Standards (NES) are the foundation of employment law legal obligations. This is because these standards...
by Rob Stevenson | 20 February 2024 | Bulletin
Legislation was recently passed by the federal parliament officially giving employees a “right to disconnect” outside their working hours. Subject to certain narrow exceptions (eg defence and national security), the new right applies to all private sector and federal...
by Rob Stevenson | 27 November 2023 | Bulletin
The office Christmas party and Christmas New Year shutdown are two areas that need to be treated sensitively by employers and employees. Safe Christmas Party tips The office Christmas party season will soon be in full swing again. Employers should be careful not to...
by Rob Stevenson | 7 November 2023 | Bulletin
Not that long ago, a challenge to termination of employment for not complying with covid vaccination requirements was generally doomed to failure. Leading industrial law barrister Ian Neil SC summed it up in 2021 when he said that a direction for employees to be...
by Rob Stevenson | 11 October 2023 | Bulletin
When an employee’s employment has been terminated, the choice of legal action is usually an unfair dismissal claim or a breach of general protections rights claim under the Fair Work Act (unless the Fair Work Ombudsman or a union is taking action). These are statutory...
by Rob Stevenson | 7 September 2023 | Bulletin
So you have been offered a job by a new employer and you give notice to your existing employer of your resignation. All is looking bright until you get an email from your new employer advising that the offer is no longer open and thanking you for your interest. Apart...
by Rob Stevenson | 7 August 2023 | Bulletin
Retirement is a special moment in every employee’s life. But, to take a cue from the current McCains Pizza ad, retirement really is “nothing special” legally in that it has no special legal status in employment law and does not give rise to any retirement specific...
by Rob Stevenson | 13 July 2023 | Bulletin
Many employees have unrealistic expectations of workplace investigation processes and outcomes. Employees will usually be involved in a workplace investigation as the person making a complaint or as the respondent to a complaint. In most cases, the starting point for...
