New penalties for underpayment of wages (including criminal convictions) and shield laws for small business employers

Georgia Spencer 21 January 2025 No Comments

From 1 January 2025, intentional underpayment of wages and entitlements will become a criminal offence under the Closing Loopholes wage theft provisions. These laws make it a criminal offence to…

The right to disconnect – workplace right commences

Georgia Spencer 26 August 2024 No Comments

The new workplace right – the right to disconnect, commenced for the vast majority of employees today, 26 August 2024. Employees of small businesses will have the same workplace right…

What is the “right to disconnect” and what does it mean for you as an employer?

Georgia Spencer 2 August 2024 No Comments

There has been a lot of hype and conjecture surrounding the commencement of the “right to disconnect”. With the implementation date of 26 August 2024 (26 August 2025 for small…

Modern Awards varied from 1 July 2024 to include a Delegates rights clause

Georgia Spencer 5 July 2024 No Comments

The Closing Loopholes Act amendments required the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to include a delegate’s rights clause to be included in all Modern Awards. At the time of writing this…

Paid Domestic Violence Leave commences for small employers from 1 August 2023.

Georgia Spencer 19 July 2023 No Comments

Small business employers (employers with less than 15 employees) from 1 August 2023 are required to provide Paid Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) leave, as outlined in the National Employment…

10 days paid family and domestic violence leave

Georgia Spencer 11 August 2022 No Comments

The Australian Federal Government has introduced a Bill to provide for 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave. The Bill when passed, will amend the Fair Work Act,…

Breach of Director liability results in prison term

Georgia Spencer 12 February 2019 No Comments

We often hear about Director liability and for most Directors it is an abstract concept that we think will never impact us. The greatest risk has historically been attached to…

When can a small business rely on the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code?

Georgia Spencer 15 October 2018 No Comments

Small businesses are not expected to have the same level of Human Resources expertise as larger businesses. This is reflected in the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) Small Business…

Category: Small Employers