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 – Thursday, January 23, 2020 The concept of whistleblowing was once frowned upon, or at the very least looked upon with trepidation. However, in recent years, the value of promoting whistleblowing as an acceptable way to improve corporate regulatory compliance and culture has been demonstrated. In this changing landscape, organisations are embracing whistleblowing […]
Conducting proper workplace investigations is a crucial component of effective business management. A failure to undertake an appropriate and timely investigation, can have significant consequences for the parties involved in the complaint, and potentially the legal outcomes for the business. An important aspect of any investigation is ensuring it occurs in a timely manner. WHAT […]
On occasion, police will become involved and/or need to be involved in the allegations from a workplace matter. In this situation, it’s important for employers to know what their obligations are, and to be aware of some of the challenges that can arise. So, let’s take a look at when police are or may need […]
Whistleblower protections have been top of mind for many Australian organisations recently, following a number of changes to the law. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistle-Blower Protections) Bill 2017 is due to come into effect from July 2019. This will result in significant changes to the way whistleblowers are to be treated under a raft […]
Employers should be well aware of the legal and associated requirements that come into play when someone in the workplace raises their hand with a grievance. Complaints about unacceptable and/or inappropriate behaviour can arise from any work area, and in regard to a wide variety of issues. Grievance handling needs to be fair and consistent […]
For many employers, a workplace investigation process can appear quite challenging to navigate. Questions around the actual subject of the investigation, and who is best qualified to carry out this important task, can immediately arise. The investigation process itself is characterised by a number of important processes that are designed to reduce the risk of […]
Like schoolyard bullying, workplace bullying is far from a new phenomenon. When people who may not have much in common outside work are thrust together on a daily basis, there are bound to be disputes, friction and potentially even outright hostility. Of course, any serious matters need to be dealt with by conducting a […]
When a workplace investigation is required, there may occasionally be good reason to seek legal professional privilege regarding the findings. This is particularly the case in matters that may require criminal investigation, such as fraud, theft or sexual harassment. So, is it sufficient to engage a law firm when undertaking workplace investigation if you wish […]
Using in-house resources to sort out organisational problems certainly makes a lot of sense. HR departments tend to be well equipped to receive and manage internal complaints, facilitating solutions as they go. But while sourcing external assistance can seem unnecessary, there are certain serious workplace situations where calling in specialist investigative expertise will be the […]