Bridging the Gap

There are special skills that come into play during any workplace investigative interview. Particular care is needed, however, when non-criminal elements of a child-related issue are under investigation. Criminal and civil investigative processes might both be required for the one workplace matter, and within each approach the challenges can be considerable. Child-related complexities At first […]

Focusing on Quality in Workplace Investigations

Choosing an investigator to conduct your workplace investigation can be a complex task. Do you look internally or externally? What are the features of a high-quality workplace investigator? And what common problems can arise along the way? Common issues that employers should consider include: How confidentiality and fairness are to be balanced.  How quality will […]

Protecting Casual Workers

Have Casuals? Discrimination and Unlawful Dismissal DO Apply There are huge benefits to employers in having a workforce of casual employees. There’s no need to worry about leave entitlements, work hours can be changed at short notice, and it’s easy to shed or add staff depending on the needs of the business. Indeed, casualisation has […]

It’s in the Contract……

Workplace Policies: Are They Legally Binding? A recent decision of a Queensland appeal court raises some interesting questions about the role that workplace policies play in the employment relationship, and specifically whether they form part of the employment contract. In 2009, the employment of a lecturer at a Queensland university was terminated for serious and […]

Group Bullying – A Complex Phenomenon

Group Bullying: A Complex phenomenon Since the late 1970s, workplace bullying has been on the radar, with an increase in attention from researchers and workplaces in terms of understanding and managing the behaviours. This broad attention has given rise to issues around the definition, but with some consensus on the key elements of what constitutes […]

6 easy steps to avoid drunken workers

The perils of the office Christmas Party The office Christmas party. It’s a time of celebration, and an acknowledgement of all the hard work done by the team over the year. So what could possibly go wrong? Plenty for employers, as the recent decision in Keenan v Leighton Boral Amey Joint Venture demonstrates, especially when the […]

Scheming and Plotting in the Workplace

Corruption and Collusion: Working Together for Harm It can be a shock to discover that an employee may be corrupt. An employer can be frozen with disbelief, deeply hurt by the breach of trust, and put in a dire financial predicament. These feelings (and the financial losses) can be magnified when more than one employee […]

Overstepping the Mark

Overstepping the Mark: When Unions Act Too Far In our last post, we looked at the importance of properly investigating allegations in the case of Amiatu and Others v Toll Ipec Pty Ltd. This case is also a significant commentary on union representation, and what can happen when a union official oversteps the mark. Even […]