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Bullying round the clock: how out-of-hours social media activity can be a risk for employers
A recent Fair Work Commission Full Bench decision has further clarified when out-of-hours social media activity can constitute workplace bullying. Both port operator DP World and the Maritime Union of…
Explicit phone porn: procedural investigation errors foil dismissal of sales manager
A company had a valid reason for sacking its sales manager, including the post-employment discovery of pornographic images on his mobile phone, but “substantial” procedural deficiencies made the dismissal unfair,…
6 productivity tips: the link between leadership behaviour and performance
Building effective teams and ensuring performance and productivity is a function of leadership behaviour and communication, as is demonstrated by the following tips from both established and rising business leaders.…
“You will be kicked out”: “low-level anger” and “heavy-handed” treatment of childcare worker not necessarily bullying
The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a Melbourne childcare worker who received “heavy handed” treatment from her boss and intolerance and low-level anger from a colleague was not bullied…
Bank lawyer “nervous and anxious” after performance management: is it really bullying?
A bank’s management of an under-performing lawyer fell short of “the best human resources practice” and was not “entirely beyond criticism”, but did not constitute bullying under the Fair Work…
Unfair dismissal of brawling hardware worker overruled because of “Year 11” style workplace investigation
The Fair Work Commission has found a major hardware chain employee was unfairly dismissed after a brawl with a co-worker following a bungled workplace investigation. In the Fair Work Commission’s…
“A very rigid personality”: how to avoid mistakes in the interviewing and selection process
Victoria’s former mining warden has lost a “breach of contract” court battle with the State Government after five years, after claiming he was misled in the job application process. The…
“The IP? It’s with me!” Workplace investigation does not stand up to court scrutiny during commercial confidentiality case
The Federal Court has refused to compel three employees to hand over documents to their former employer to help it decide whether to sue them for breaching contract and corporations…
Thongless Thursday: ACT police porn tweet saga blamed on employee
The dangers of social media were “laid bare” during the Christmas/New Year period when the ACT Policing official Twitter account retweeted a pornographic image and followed the account. The tweet,…
Offensive Kris Kringles – dealing with the post-Christmas fallout
The office Christmas Party should be a happy time, where employees and their managers unwind after a busy year and celebrate a job well done. In most offices, the Kris…
Firing the office weirdo – can we do it?
Readers may relate to working with the office “weird beard” at some point in their career. Weirdness may manifest itself as aggression, prickliness or just plain bizarre behaviour. The question is how…
Bully buckers? FWC issues only one anti-bullying order under new regime
The Fair Work Commission has issued just one anti-bullying order, despite over 500 complaints being made under its new anti-bullying jurisdiction up to the end of September 2014. The FWC’s…
