If you have been the victim of bullying, the HR department in your organisation is generally the first port of call for raising your concerns. It can be mentally or emotionally challenging to make a complaint to HR. You may feel exposed or vulnerable because you are concerned that your complaint may not be believed, […]
The issue of workplace bullying is much more openly discussed these days, and most employees are aware that they can make a formal complaint to their employers and have the matter investigated – with appropriate resolution to follow. But what happens if you are not the victim, but instead have been accused of being the […]
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 […]
With Australia’s aging population, it comes as no surprise that the demand for various aged care services continues to escalate. It is also somewhat inevitable that complaints will rise, as aged clients and their loved ones navigate their expectations and emotions in a relatively challenging time. We examine the latest work of the aged care […]
Jill McMahon – Wednesday, June 29, 2016 Corruption is a huge problem for Australian organisations because it exists in so many places and in so many forms that the average manager may not even consider it an issue. Left unchecked, even minor corrupt behaviour can spiral out of control. Using legitimate processes is […]
We first ran this blog in 2014 and from the number of comments we received, it clearly raised issues that resonated with many of our readers. So by popular demand, here it is again. We welcome your comments, as always. Bullying and harassment legislation is in place to protect employees from being bullied by their […]
Workplace misconduct, bullying and harassment are surprisingly common among Australian organisations. Although many problems can be managed and resolved through in house human resources and management, sometimes hiring an external investigator is the best option. A good workplace investigation follows a series of steps to ensure a fair outcome for everyone and an unbiased […]
Does your team know the difference between workplace bullying and reasonable management action? Do your policies and procedures reflect the new draft Code of Practice for Preventing and Responding to Workplace Bullying? When an employee makes a complaint of workplace bullying, will your staff know how to respond, come January 2014? Ensure you are not […]
By ALISON PAGE, Legal Counsel – Earlier this year, the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal determined a sexual harassment case in which the Tribunal member described the employer’s initial investigation as ‘bungled’.* The Tribunal accepted that the HR department was hard pressed, understaffed and overworked. However, the cautionary tale from this case is that this […]
A basic understanding of criminal law – especially the powers and responsibilities of the police – can make for better decision-making and better outcomes for employers in criminal cases of workplace misconduct. WISE Workplace has handled a few cases recently where the employer or HR manager either hasn’t understood the role of the police in […]