Natasha Kennedy-Read and Vince Scopelliti – Tuesday, March 17, 2020 The FWC recently found SA CARE’s dismissal of a casual disability care worker to be unfair and ordered compensation. The…
Vince Scopelliti – Wednesday, December 18, 2019 The festive season is fraught with concern for employers. With many staff on leave and those who remain letting their proverbial hair down (often with a beverage or three!) the holiday period can be a minefield. We take a look at when employees are still considered to be […]
Vince Scopelliti – Wednesday, November 27, 2019 It’s no secret that both the good and the bad can be on display at the annual work Christmas party. While smiles and good cheer can and should be the main features at an end-of-year bash, some unfortunate behaviour can also arise. Alcohol abuse, sexual harassment and aggressive […]
For many businesses, one of the critical HR questions is whether investigations into alleged employee misconduct or misbehaviour should be outsourced or conducted in-house. Depending on the nature of the business and the complaint, it may not always be appropriate or cost-effective for investigations to be referred externally. However, in other circumstances, particularly when the […]
The most vulnerable members of our society are generally those with disabilities, the very young and the elderly. People who are vulnerable are at greater risk of being abused or otherwise mistreated, especially in residential care facilities. This is currently being made distressingly clear at the aged care Royal Commission. We discuss what elder […]
Workplace bullying can sometimes be difficult to identify. After all, people from many different walks of life are thrown together in a working environment, and this will often result in personality clashes and natural disagreements. Not everybody in the office will be friends with each other. So how can you tell when something has strayed […]
Employers often face a quandary in dealing with underperformers, and whether to place them onto a performance management program. It’s essential that any such move can always be considered to be ‘reasonable management action’ in response to inappropriate behaviours or inadequate or unsatisfactory performance, and not simply a way of bullying an employee. Let’s take […]
Bullying is the scourge of many workplaces. There are few things which destroy office morale, tear apart team cohesion or cause good staff to leave as quickly as victimisation and harassment in the workplace. Interestingly, research has identified 22 different types of bullying conduct which might be encountered in the average workplace. We outline […]
Employers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of a positive workplace culture. A workplace culture which helps foster happy employees can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and have a positive flow-on effect to customers. But just how can senior management get staff, particularly junior staff, to open up about how they feel? One excellent […]
Where a complaint has been made by one staff member against another, and a workplace investigation takes place, all kinds of emotions can be running high. People participating in a workplace investigation, whether as complainants, respondents or even witnesses, can suffer symptoms of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as emotional […]