Mediations
Employee compensated after being terminated for visitor bringing rifle to work: the importance of thorough workplace investigations
Informal responses are not appropriate when an employer or an employee is faced with allegations of serious misconduct in the workplace. Initiating an independent workplace investigation ensures that any decision…
Read More4 key ingredients for an effective workplace bullying policy
As with many workplace issues, the first element of a prevention strategy for workplace bullying is to have a clear, up to date and well communicated policy in place. The…
Read MorePerformance management conduct: the mistaken workplace bully – how you can keep the lines clear
For the first time, new workplace bullying laws enforced under the Fair Work Act 2009 since 1 January 2014 entitles workers to apply to Fair Work Commission for alleged workplace…
Read MoreHow a Workplace Mediation can prevent disputes from escalating to formal proceedings
Workplace disputes that escalate to legal issues are a waste of an employer’s valuable time and financial resources. Even if a tribunal or court finds an employer faultless, there is…
Read MoreLarger payouts in sexual harassment cases – a warning to employers who fail to handle complaints properly
When a complaint of an alleged harassment, bullying or discriminatory behaviour is made, an informal response is not appropriate. Employers can be held vicariously liable for such behaviours as they…
Read MoreTrain driver who left his co-driver behind at a toilet break reinstated by Commission: the need for thorough workplace investigations
When an employer is faced with allegations of employee misconduct, it is crucial that the complaint is investigated thoroughly. Initiating a workplace investigation ensures that any decision made is fair…
Read MoreAn end to bullying cultures: stamping out workplace bullying with a zero tolerance approach
Workplace bullying is a very real and pervasive problem in the Australian workforce cutting across all industries, all professions and all levels of the workforce – it can affect anyone…
Read MoreChildcare worker fails to receive anti-bullying order from Fair Work Commission: prevention is the best cure when it comes to bullying
Employers have an obligation to create a safe workplace for employees. This includes protecting them from workplace hazards. Bullying is one such hazard. Employers who fail to protect employees from…
Read MoreWorkplace Mediation: how can it help?
We live in an increasingly litigious society – where one of the first responses to an issue or incident is to sue the other party. Certainly there are times that…
Read More10 Tips for battling Bullying at work
Workplaces where bullying is a feature generally experience increased absenteeism, increased turnover, loss of productivity and higher frequency of workers’ compensation claims both physical and psychological. So what…
Read MorePreparing for and Conducting Workplace Investigations: what you need to know
The purpose of a Workplace Investigation A workplace investigation is a process to collect and review information in relation to a complaint of inappropriate behaviour (such as harassment, discrimination &…
Read More4 Key Things that Employers can do to pro-actively manage Absenteeism in the Workplace
Are you unintentionally losing $347 per work day every time an employee calls in a ‘sickie’? According to a 2015 absenteeism survey, Direct Health Solutions reported that’s exactly what employers…
Read MoreFamily restaurant avoids bullying orders by changing workplace culture
A family restaurant that implemented positive measures after a bullying complaint has avoided anti-bullying orders being issued by the Fair Work Commission. A catering attendant made an anti-bullying application to Fair…
Read MoreMillion dollar payout for bullying: iHR Director of Workplace Relations John Boardman highlights why managers should not ignore bullying
A large construction company has learnt the hard way that bullying is not okay after being ordered to pay $1.3 million in damages after admitting it failed to prevent a…
Read MoreWorker loses $180,000 redundancy payout due to fraud – how an employer’s thorough workplace investigation stood up to judicial scrutiny
Worker loses $180,000 redundancy payout due to fraud – how an employer’s thorough workplace investigation stood up to judicial scrutiny Are you confident that your workplace investigation process is fair…
Read MorePerformance Management is not Bullying
Protecting workers from workplace hazards should be a key priority for employers. Workplace bullying is a major workplace hazard. Risks of workplace bullying include litigation, the possibility of psychological harm…
Read MoreSacked Employee Wins Compensation Based on Flimsy CCTV Evidence: the Importance of Thorough Workplace Investigations
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently ruled in favour of a sacked truck driver and ordered his employer to pay him more than $25,000 in compensation for a dismissal which…
Read MoreMediation: the key to resolving conflict in the workplace
When the gloves come off at work, it can be as distracting and unsettling for those on the periphery as those involved in the stoush. One thing’s for sure, before…
Read MoreYou abuse you lose: employee sacked for online bullying – the importance of responsible social media use
Writer, feminist and respected commentator Clementine Ford is “sick and tired” of the cyber-sexism and abusive trolling she experiences on a regular basis. And since perpetrators commonly act either by…
Read MoreWorkplace bullying in theory and in practice: Can you tell the difference?
Do your employees, managers and leaders have an understanding of what constitutes bullying and harassment at work? Just as importantly, do they know what steps to take if they experience…
Read MoreIgnoring allegations of inappropriate behaviour leads to costly litigation
When an employer is faced with allegations of inappropriate employee behaviour, it is important that the complaint is investigated thoroughly. Initiating an investigation in response to a complaint can accelerate…
Read MoreInformal mediation is not enough when addressing bullying allegations
A recent Fair Work Commission hearing vindicated two real estate employees who claimed they were threatened with violence, abused, belittled and humiliated at work. The employees had taken their…
Read MoreEmployer loses dismissal case due to misinterpretation of Fair Work regulations
A recent decision by the Fair Work Commission ruled that an employer, who had otherwise “acted quite benevolently” in accommodating the needs of a worker suffering from poor health, had…
Read MoreRecruiters encountering photographic faux pas: jobseeker’s ‘naked selfie’ dashes hopes of employment
In quite possibly the biggest text message blunder a jobseeker could ever make, an American man has dashed his hopes of employment after accidentally sending naked photos to his would-be…
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