Vince Scopelliti – Wednesday, January 29, 2020 Perhaps one of the most vexed issues employers face is how to terminate employees without exposing the organisation to the risk of a successful unfair dismissal action. In light of the 15 January updates to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) Unfair Dismissals Benchbook, these two unfair dismissal cases […]
When claims of abuse in care come to light, strong emotions can arise for all concerned. It is not surprising that when an unexplained injury is uncovered, family members, care staff, and employers will want immediate answers. However, it is vital that employers maintain clear thinking and remain objective when investigating allegations of abuse […]
A decision by the Queensland Court of Appeal highlights why employers must take into account the needs of workers with an acquired brain injury, in order to avoid being considered to have discriminated against them. In Chivers v State of Queensland (Queensland Health), the Court of Appeal heard a case pursued by Ms Chivers, […]
It goes without saying that injuries occur in all workplaces, not just the community sector. Yet there are certain unexplained injuries within care environments that should receive particular attention. We set out our top three 3 tips for investigators when confronted with an unexplained injury allegation in aged or disability care contexts. 1. […]
Workers compensation is one of those central issues that necessarily impacts upon the thinking and planning of Australian employers. To use the old phrase – “accidents happen.” And indeed, it is this inevitability that leads to the simple, no-fault basis of most Australian statutory workers’ compensation schemes. Yet workers compensation is a variable beast, and […]
We know that for many employers, it can be rather challenging to face the complexities of work-related psychological injury claims. For decades, trip and fall incidents, burns, bending and other visible physical injuries all tended to dominate workplace safety concerns for both employers and insurers alike. Now, with medical advances drawing solid links between employment issues […]
With the federal government increasingly exercising its legislative muscle when it comes to workplace bullying, employers are expected to be vigilant in prevention and to properly deal with bullying when issues arise. One of the key areas is work health and safety (WHS) and the physical impact of workplace bullying. WHS requirements WHS legislation requires […]