On 1 August the Fair Work Commission’s ruling that anyone working under a modern award is entitled to five days’ unpaid leave if they are affected by domestic violence came into effect – a welcome, and arguably necessary, development at a time when domestic violence has a firm place in the social conscience. In making […]
Spurred into action by the global #MeToo movement, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has announced a national inquiry into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins says the global conversation about sexual harassment and the #MeToo movement has exposed the true prevalence of the problem and the harm it causes to individuals, workplaces and society.
Lawyers are warning that a recent decision by the Fair Work Commission should make employers “very cautious when attempting to classify their junior or low-paid employees as ‘award free’”.
While most employees in the NFP sector are covered by a Modern Award, if your organisation has previously assumed that some junior employees aren’t covered by an award, you’ll now need to reassess that – or potentially be faced with future underpayment claims.
NFPs aren’t doing enough to protect whistleblowers.
That’s according to the largest survey ever into the topic, examining policies and procedures around whistleblowing at over 700 organisations in Australia and New Zealand.
Protecting whistleblowers is crucial for stamping out fraud or wrongdoing. This post explains exactly where the problems are, and key areas your organisation should focus on to improve.
How does your organisation balance the sometimes-conflicting needs of your staff and clients?
A recent landmark legal ruling highlights the potentially dire consequences of failing to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of your staff.
Up until 1975, employers could take almost anything into consideration when recruiting staff. But the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act – passed by the Whitlam Government – started a legislative trend towards protecting a variety of people from employment discrimination. And that means there are now some things you just can’t discuss when you’re making a decision about who to hire.
“Higher absenteeism, lower productivity, higher staff turnover… as well as reputational damage”. They’re just a few of the issues arising from an alarming amount of workplace discrimination uncovered by the Australian Human Rights Commission related to pregnancy, parental leave or returning to work from leave. Fortunately, there’s a fantastic new website to address these very issues.
– Sponsored Content – As a not-for-profit organisation, it’s good practice to conduct a work health and safety (WHS) audit on a regular basis to ensure your organisation is meeting its duty of care to all your workers, and this includes volunteers. It’s important to apply a systematic approach to managing your WHS obligations for […]
Can you imagine a volunteer launching a $100,000 legal action against your organisation for unpaid wages? Can you say with certainty that your organisation’s policies and procedures would protect you from a such an action from a volunteer or contractor? This week, Liz Morgan, Senior Lawyer and Trainer with NFP Law shares some tips on […]
A new Not-For-Profit Law Information Hub from Justice Connect could help you to better manage your staff and volunteers leaving you more time to work with your community. The Information Hub includes a range of fantastic tools to help NSW and Victorian charities fulfil their legal obligations, including factsheets on managing paid staff and volunteers. […]